Nothing Broken
by Slambage
Summary: Beca Mitchell is quite happy with her life thank you very much, and she definitely doesn't need her best friend Jesse posting an ad for her on a DJs website. But he does, because he thinks she just needs to be more outgoing and people will love her. Her Dad thinks she needs a real job. Aubrey thinks she needs to change everything about herself. Chloe thinks she's perfect.
1. Chapter 1

"This is a travesty." Chloe sighed heavily, flapping her arms around near Aubrey's head.

"Just turn the dramatics down a notch ok?" Aubrey huffed in reply, brushing her fringe out of her eyes and scrolling down the page in a manner Chloe thought to be rather fierce. "You know I can't concentrate when you're dancing around like that. Besides, I'm confident that we'll find a set of super tough and manly bouncers, a couple of super sexy waitresses with bikini-ready bodies and an undiscovered DJ with the skills to be performing worldwide."

"That's exactly the thinking that got us into this hot mess." Chloe started to grumble but quickly tried to get her tone back under control and flopped into the chair next to her best friend. "Everyone that fits those descriptions is going to cost thousands of dollars, we'll be broke before opening night. Why don't we just-" she hesitated slightly, knowing the danger of expressing her opinion, especially when it opposed Aubrey's. "Get people willing to work?"

"Chloe I don't want a bunch of misfits working for me, my father-"

"Oh look!" Chloe exclaimed, reaching over Aubrey and clicking an ad she'd spotted. "Fat Amy, straight of college and looking for work as a bouncer. I bet she wouldn't cost much!"

"I imagined more of a...man." Aubrey sniffed. "A strong man with large muscles and-"

"Oh Bree you just need to be more open minded, at least she's not as scary looking as the other ones we've seen."

"They're meant to be scary." Aubrey whined. "And look, she's listed her skills as 'bikini car washes, pizza eating and mermaid dancing.'"

"Great, she'll keep the peace and entertain everyone!" Chloe replied cheerily. "Plus she says she's the best bouncer in Tasmania, um, with teeth."

"Fine, I give in." Aubrey relented with an extra drawn out sigh and was rewarded with a bright smile from Chloe that she returned with significantly less enthusiasm. The red headed girl noted Fat Amy's contact details on the pad of paper next to her and Aubrey clicked to return to the previous page, still in the hunt for more bouncers.

2 hours and a lot of tantrums later, Aubrey and Chloe had chosen two other bouncers to send interview offers to. Aubrey was about as impressed with their second two choices as she was with Fat Amy. First of all, she didn't approve of Lily's criminal record ("She'll probably kill us all!" "I'm sure she's learnt from her mistakes Aubrey, don't stress.") and her opinion of Cynthia Rose had quickly soured once she read her name and discovered she wasn't the male she had first thought. ("She's deceiving us already, who knows what else she'll get up to, she looks like bad news." "Just give her a chance Aubrey I'm sure she doesn't want people to think she's a dude.")

Chloe stood up from her seat next to Aubrey and stretched happily. "One job down!"

"And only about 300 more to go." Aubrey groaned. "Have you got the applications for the waitresses?"

"Oh yeah I put them over here." Chloe scrambled over to the table against the wall behind them and gathered a stack of papers, placing 4 of them down next to Aubrey.

"I thought these four looked the best." She smiled.

"What would I do without you?" Aubrey smiled in appreciation as she flicked through the papers while Chloe smiled quietly. "They all look fine, Jessica, Denise, Ashley and - oh."

"What's wrong?" Chloe's eyebrows furrowed at the look of disapproval on her friend's face.

"This girl Stacie has written 'enthusiasm and sex' under 'skills'.

Chloe tried to stifle a giggle at the way Aubrey's eyebrow twitched as she read the word 'sex'.

"Maybe she's just really enthusiastic at sex."

"I can't see that being of need to us in any way." Aubrey sniffed.

"Well I'm not so sure..." Chloe trailed off with a mischievous grin.

"Filthy." Aubrey frowned and shook her head. "Not all of us are as open as you."

"Open?"

"Whatever it is you call yourself."

"Bisexual, Aubrey."

"Yes, well, either way." Aubrey got up and strode towards the kitchen. "I'm under enough pressure already without hiring a girl with morals like that. You know my father always says if at first you don't-"

"I know Aubrey, I'm sure we'll be fine. We still need to find a DJ though remember? There was that site I thought we could find one on."

"I-yes I remember - just," The blonde hesitated, looking back and forth between the computer and the kitchen. "Ok fine but I'm just going to make a sandwich. It's 12.30 and we've been working since 8."

Chloe nodded and smiled kindly and Aubrey gave a little nod back, as though reassuring herself it was alright to take a small break.

It was hard for Chloe to watch sometimes, Aubrey could become another person when she was under stress and it was at times difficult to remember her best friend was still there under the frazzled exterior. It had all started when Aubrey's father had started laying the pressure on Aubrey to find a high paying job - which was basically the day they finished college. Chloe remembered the day they'd graduated only a few weeks ago and Aubrey, all giggly with excitement, had dragged her over to speak to her parents.

* * *

_"Miss Beale." The tall balding man nodded gruffly, offering a large hand for her to shake. _

_"Good evening Mr Posen." Chloe smiled as brightly as she could back despite having always found the man quite intimidating. A quick handshake and several almost broken fingers later and Chloe moved onto the small women standing next to Aubrey's father. _

_"Hi Sandra." She smiled, a real smile this time._

_"Oh congratulations you girls." Mrs Posen gushed, grasping both girls by their forearms and giving them an affectionate pat each. "You've finally done it!"_

_"Oh but now's not the time to relax Sandra, quite the opposite actually." Aubrey's father Roy interjected "Now's when the hard work really begins! These girl's have had their heads in the clouds, they won't know what's hit them once they're out in the real world. Now Chloe, I understand you've completed an arts degree? Where exactly are you planning to head with that? It doesn't quite lead you straight into anything does it?"_

_"Oh um," Chloe stuttered, "I was thinking of just weighing up my options for a while, you know, seeing what's out there."_

_"I see." Mr Posen replied, in a tone that conveyed he clearly neither saw nor agreed with the bubbly girl's optimistic ideas. "That is once approach I suppose. Though Aubrey I expect you've got everything planned out?"_

_"Honey be reasonable." Sandra tried to steer the conversation away from the dangerous territory she could see it heading towards. "They've only just finished, they at least need a little time."_

_"Nonsense Sandra." The man easily dismissed his wife. "Aubrey knows the traditions of our family, all highly paid business owners bringing honour and positive attention to the Posen family name. And since Aubrey has no brothers-" He paused for a regretful sigh -"I'm only thankful she isn't in any kind of relationship so that the Posen name will be able to start another million dollar company. What my colleges would think if she was getting married at this age I don't want to even begin to imagine."_

_"Roy." Sandra tried once more to interrupt as Chloe scrunched her nose in confusion, wondering how Mr Posen was somehow condemning Aubrey for getting married at a young age, despite stating 10 seconds earlier she wasn't seeing anyone. _

_"Enough of this," Mr Posen continued, "I don't have time to discuss you girl's poor decisions."_

_"Don't worry Daddy, I've got a great idea already." Aubrey spoke up for the first time._

_"And it better be a jolly good one! Like my own father always said, 'if at first you don't succeed, pack you bags.'" He paused for effect and then spotted someone he knew over near another group of people. "Oh Aubrey isn't that you maths professor Mr Bailey? I must congratulate him on the new textbook he's written. I haven't read one of such good quality since I re-read one of my own." And with that he had walked off, leaving all three women looking quite pleased he had._

_"I've got no ideas!" Aubrey had wailed later that night from where she was sitting with papers skewed all around her, as Chloe moved around her, throwing the other girl's clothes into boxes that would be moving to the new apartment the two of them were renting._

_"I'm sure you'll be fine Bree, you'll think of something soon. You always do!" She paused her packing to wrap her arms around the taller girls neck and Aubrey relaxed into her, leaning her head back against Chloe's shoulder. "I think I'll make you a coffee, do you want a coffee? I'll make you a coffee."_

_A week later Chloe had been heading out the door of their new apartment on the way to her new job as a waitress when she heard a shriek and she looked back worriedly, expecting to find Aubrey injured on the floor._

_"I've got it!" The blonde was shouting, grinning and looking slightly mad with a dishevelled appearance and waving her 'notebook of Aubrey's great ideas' in the air._

_"You've got it?" Chloe asked apprehensively, hoping this wasn't like her last few ideas (A company selling hand-knitted beanies, a professional a cappella singing group and a book on how to become a master of you inner stress monster.)_

_"A club!" Aubrey burst out breathlessly, plonking herself down in a chair in front of the kitchen bench with her usual toast cut into triangles in front of her. She took a sip of the tea Chloe had prepared for her earlier and leant back against her chair. _

_"A club?" Chloe let go of the door handle and stared back at her best friend._

_"A club." Aubrey repeated, her eyes starting forward and far away into a future of fortune and riches. "We'll start it from scratch. We'll get a kickass DJ. Everyone will come to see him. All the waitresses will be beautiful and the rooms will be huge and oh my God we'll call it 'Bellas' 'cause that means beautiful and it will all be just perfect." She stopped for breath and patted down a few of her hairs that were attempting to escape her ponytail in her excitement._

_"Wow ok, just , Aubrey did you say 'we'?"_

_"Of course." The blonde looked up in surprise. "I'll need someone to be the manager."_

_"I guess so." Chloe agreed, but Aubrey didn't seem satisfied._

_"You don't think it's too farfetched do you? I know it will be a lot of work and no one can just go around starting up clubs all over the place but I just thought..."_

_"No of course not Bree." Chloe replied, shaking her head to pull herself together. "If it's what you want then we'll do it."_

_Aubrey's lips curled into a relieved smile and Chloe crossed the room to give her best friend a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll talk to you about it after work ok?"_

_"Oh you won't need your job anymore." Aubrey still smiled brightly, "We're going be rich."_

* * *

"This is madness." Aubrey collapsed into the chair Chloe had previously occupied, since Chloe was now in front of the computer and scrolling through the list of prospective DJs. She took a bite from her salad sandwich and watched over Chloe's shoulder for a few minutes as they rejected person after person.

"They've all got so many tattoos." She complained, shuddering as Chloe quickly moved past a man with piercings in almost everyhole in his face and earlobes stretched to their point of no return.

"This one doesn't." Chloe suggested, stopping at a picture of a pale weedy looking boy with thin blonde hair and glasses. A giggle burst past her lips as she read out his chosen stage-name of "pokemon master."

"Just keep searching." Aubrey muttered through gritted teeth, evidently not seeing the funny side.

Chloe paused the mouse over a moderately good looking boy with brown hair sprawled over his forehead.

"He'll be too expensive." Aubrey shook her head. "Look, he's already released an album."

"We're almost at the bottom." Chloe warned.

"Maybe try refreshing."

"No I don't think there's going to be anyone new in that ti- Oh what about her?" Chloe stopped abruptly and leant closer to the screen to get a better look at the small picture of a brunette girl with headphones around her neck. The bold writing to the right of the picture showed her stage name to be 'Pocket Rocket.'

"I may be small but I've still got swag." Chloe giggled as she read out the girl's summary.

"Oh hmm I don't think so." Aubrey frowned in disapproval, "She looks too alternative."

"Because she's wearing eyeliner?" Chloe rolled her eyes and clicked on the ad. A bigger version of the picture popped up and Chloe couldn't stop herself from smiling at the girl who looked horribly uncomfortable to be having her picture taken. The forced smile on her face was crooked, and somehow ended up looking more like a scowl. Chloe could imagine the girl huffing after the picture was taken and demanding to see the result. The girl looked so much like an introvert that Chloe wondered why she'd uploaded a profile for herself.

"To experience my swag first hand just contact me or my super awesome manager Jesse. Who is even cooler than me." Aubrey read out loud and scoffed.

Chloe's eyes slid back up to the picture and to the girl's arm tugging awkwardly at her collar that was obviously bothering her. On her forearm Chloe spotted a grasshopper tattoo and gasped.

"She's perfect."

"Absolutely no way." Aubrey spoke at the same time and immediately frowned at Chloe, "Wait what? Chloe I am not hiring anyone with an ear spike like that."

"I think it's cool! And I just know she'll be great." Chloe replied without taking her eyes off the screen.

"Um, hello?" Aubrey waved her hand in front of the redhead's face. "Chloe you're making gooey eyes at her."

"I'm not." Chloe replied automatically without listening. "I don't think she really wrote this summary, it seems too outgoing." She paused and looked over at Aubrey, "What do you think?"

"I - how am I supposed to know?" Aubrey snapped, looking flustered "I've never met the girl and I don't plan on it."

A tiny frown formed on Chloe's forehead for the first time since she'd laid eyes on the girl. "We have to email her!"

"We most certainly do not." Aubrey replied fatly, standing up. "Email her yourself if it means that much to you. I'm going to bed and I'll find a real DJ for us at a more respectable time of day. Good night."

"Good night." Chloe giggled at the rather formal parting comment from Aubrey and the blonde's frown deepened before Chloe jumped up and wrapped her in a hug. "And thank you."

Aubrey simply shook her head as she returned the hug and left for the bigger of the two bedrooms in their apartment.

Chloe excitedly slid back into the seat in front of the computer and quickly copied the girl's email into a new message.

"You have a funny name." Chloe started to type and smiled. The girl was going to love her.


	2. Chapter 2

"You're missing the ending." Jesse grumbled, squeezing his arm around Beca who reluctantly forced her eyes back open.

"Oh the horror." The small girl muttered sarcastically as the credits to 'The Breakfast Club' began to roll. "Tell me, did it end the same way as the last 11 times I watched it with you?"

Jesse rolled his eyes in response. "You ma'am, are a lost cause. For the good of the world, I have been trying to give you a moviecation, and you have the – the, the..._arrogance_ to sleep through my very favourite movie. It could get better every time, you'd just never know."

"Let's agree to disagree." Beca yawned and wiped at a bit of drool that had somehow found its way onto her friend's shoulder.

"You got anything on for tomorrow?" Jesse asked as he heaved himself up from the couch to eject his prized DVD.

"Nope, chill day for me." Beca smiled in content and pulled her laptop from the floor and onto her lap. "Unless of course I get contacted by some hugely popular club in LA, who are just desperate to find a DJ to play for them, every single night, forever."

"Yeah, good luck with that one buddy." Jesse laughed at Beca whose eyes had glazed over dreamily.

"Hey it could happen, now I've got that ad up and everything."

After Beca had finished college she'd had a run of a few gigs in a couple of run down clubs, but they had eventually become fewer and fewer until the calls had simply stopped coming. Her sole income now came from working as a checkout chick at the local supermarket, which she hated and spent her time playing games such as 'how many tins can I stack on the bananas before the customer starts yelling' to entertain herself. Jesse, with who she shared a small apartment, was also having trouble and had signed up to be an extra on a few films in the hope of breaking into the industry. When he'd been browsing the net one night looking for work he'd come across a site where actors or musicians could upload a profile, documenting their past work and skills in the hopes of being discovered by potential employers or managers. After quickly uploading his own page he'd promptly declared he was appointing himself Beca's manager, much to Beca's distaste ("Don't I get a say in this?" "No way, I'm your manager, I get to make the decisions loser.") and created a profile for the young DJ as well.

"And a damn good ad it is too, all thanks to me." Jesse grinned proudly.

"You called me 'DJ Pocketrocket'" Beca complained.

"Yeah, brilliant isn't it? I chose between that and 'Fun-size.'"

"Neither of those are even remotely badass." Beca sighed, "You're a horrible manager."

They boy grinned and pulled a stupid face, waggling his fingers around in some strange dance. "At least I have enthusiasm!"

Beca's eyebrows rose to unnatural heights in response and she stared at Jesse for a long moment.

"You are so weird."

"And that's why you love me." He exclaimed happily and flopped back down on the couch next to her again.

"Keep telling yourself that." Beca quipped as Jess peered over her shoulder at the laptop that was still starting up. "Anyway, what about you? Got much on tomorrow?"

"Ah not really, I'm seeing a couple of mates during the day, we're helping Benji move out."

"His music school really had taken off then huh? Should have known he'd do well, he's always been so good with kids."

"Well he's basically a kid himself." Jesse agreed, "If I was making half as much money as him at the moment I'd be happy."

"Yeah and maybe if I had some cash I could buy a-fricking-new-laptop ." Beca poked the keys of her laptop as hard as she could with each word, which was currently frozen on the password screen. With a few more jabs the screen eventually disappeared and was replaced with her desktop picture - a photo of Jesse and her at a recent Swanson family gathering. Jesse stood happily with his arm thrown carelessly over Beca's shoulder, who stood slightly hunched with a disgruntled expression. Jesse's older sister, Taylor, who had taken the picture, had squealed and declared it the "cutest picture ever!" and even Beca had to admit it pretty perfectly captured their relationship.

Still looking over Beca's shoulder, Jesse smiled and clicked his fingers suddenly.

"That reminds me, Taylor's coming over for dinner tomorrow." He announced airily.

"She is not." Beca gasped, horrified.

"Aww c'mon Bec, she's not that bad."

"Not that bad, are you kidding? It's like she's hell bent on getting us together! Last time we were at your parent's place for thanksgiving she hinted that we'd make a cute couple 37 times!"

"37, really?"

"Well I counted that time she made us hug for the picture as two."

"Fair enough," Jesse chuckled, "I'm sure she'll be better this time."

"I seriously doubt it if the last three years are anything to go by."

"No really, she won't mention it."

"And what gives you that impression?" Beca narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Jesse who was now turning slightly red.

"I just -err - have a feeling."

"'A feeling' my ass, Jesse Swanson what are you talking about?"

"Ok ok!" Jesse relented as Beca's voice rose dangerously, "It's just that last time she was here, you were out somewhere, I can't remember where, and I was going to show her a movie, um The Hunger Games actually, cause she never saw it at the cinemas. Idiot." Jesse shook his head. "Anyway, she was all sitting on the couch ready and I, um, turned the TV on and one of your...movies was paused."

"One of my movies?" Beca frowned in confusion, "I don't have any movies, there's no point when you own basically every one on the planet."

"One of your 'movies'" Jesse made quotation marks in the air with his fingers and put emphasis on 'movies,' waggling his eyebrows at the same time. "You know one of those movies you told me you liked when I first met you..."

"Oh my God." Beca whispered as the realisation hit her and her mouth dropped open. "So she saw..." She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

"Embarrassed?" Jesse didn't seem to be able to stop himself from grinning as Beca groaned.

"Mortified is a better word I think."

"Well hey, think of it this way, that's one less person you'll have to come out to."

"Having people accidently find my - " Beca waved her hand vaguely.

"Lesbian porn?" Jesse offered helpfully.

"Is not my preferred way of coming out." She finished bitterly.

"But it sure does work!" Jesse's grin widened.

"I hate you." Beca grumbled, throwing a cushion at him before slumping down on the couch and closing her eyes.

"I've gotta say, I think it's a better method than waiting until someone tries to kiss you and then punching them in the mouth."

"That was one time." A tiny smirk pulled at the corner of Beca's mouth.

"And one time I've never recovered from. That punch broke my heart along with my jaw. You know they say you never really get over your first love."

Beca started to laugh as she remembered the fiasco of the almost kiss. They'd been at a party and Jesse had kissed a girl, before returning to Beca to find her moping around, and assumed it was because she was jealous. With his drunk reasoning Jesse had the bright idea to kiss Beca to make her feel better, resulting in a broken jaw and a bright red Beca squealing that the reason she was upset because her crush at the time, Natalie, had spent the night making out with some guy. A relieved Jesse had replied with "Thank God, I'm not into you either" and they'd been best friends ever since.

Beca opened one eye to peek at the larger boy. "I'm busy being mortified here, stop trying to be funny."

"I'm not trying, I'm succeeding."

"You're an idiot."

"An idiot with _style - _Oh hey look at this, someone's contacted you from that website!"

"Hmmm?" Beca's eyes shot back open and she focused on the screen in front of her, which showed three new emails.

"You have a twitter?" Jesse asked, amused.

"Shut up." Beca replied, hurriedly sitting up and deleting that particular email, along with one from amc theatres that Jesse had kindly signed her up for. "It's just in case I get really famous soon or something."

"Maybe I should do that too, I'm starting to get pretty well known. You know if you look really closely you can see me get hit by a flying fireball in The Avengers."

"I'm surprised you haven't already shown it to me 13 times."

"Oh no, it's not out on DVD yet, when it is we can have a marathon and watch it on repeat for, oh I don't know, maybe a couple of days."

"Yippie." Beca muttered sarcastically.

"They wanted me to go to the premiere actually, but my schedule was just too full."

Beca snorted. "Keep dreaming buddy."

In front of her, Beca's mouse hovered over the email Jesse had pointed out to her in the first place, sent from '_DJs 101, musicians promotion site [Club: Bellas.]_ The subject read: _Hi from Chloe Beale and Aubrey Posen! We want you! ;)_

"Um, ok." Beca mused and tilted her head to the side slightly, still hovering over the subject apprehensively. "It's probably a prank or something."

"You don't know that, just open it and see what it is."

"No you know what, maybe this wasn't a good idea; I'm sure there are heaps of DJs out there better than me and no one's going to take a gamble on - hey!"

"Now read." Jesse smiled softly, nudging Beca in the side and turning his attention to the email he'd opened. "And stop putting yourself down."

"Im not-" Beca started but stopped as she started to read and her eyebrows knitted together.

_Hi Pocketrocket! You have a funny name!_

"I told you it was a stupid name." Beca hissed and continued reading.

_My name is Chloe Beale and I'm the manager of a new club being opened up called The Bellas, owned by my bestie Aubrey Posen. We're two passionate girls determined to surround ourselves with talented people, committed to bringing success to our new business. We're happy to offer you an interview, as we require an undiscovered skilled DJ to play as a regular, in order to draw crowds and grow along with the club. Anyway, Aubrey told me say that bit. Really, we just want you cause obviously, you're the tits. _

(Beca's eyebrows rose impossibly higher at that point.)

_And I've got to say, I really love your tattoo! I've got a bug tattoo as well, it's a ladybug! They totes match! Is yours a grasshopper? When did you get yours done? Mine was last year and it hurt like a bitch, but it was worth it 'cause it's my good luck charm. Aubrey doesn't like tattoos very much, so you should totally be my bug tattoo buddy. Also, I really like your ear spike, and I think your eyeliner makes you look really mysterious. Like one of those girls who has like a million secrets that she doesn't tell anyone, I bet that's you. Anyways, if you're interested you should defs email us back, or you could ring me. But don't ring Aubrey yet, though I'm sure she'll like you eventually._

_Bye! _

_From Chloe xoxoxoxoxo_

Beca sat back from the computer and frowned.

"That girl needs some serious help."

"She's certainly enthusiastic."

"Yeah enthusiastic, like crazy enthusiastic. Like just crazy. And her friend sounds like a bitch." She paused, "It might be really lame."

"And it might be the best thing you've ever done. They're probably just trying to get your attention by speaking like that. Listen, I've got to sleep 'cause I need to be at Benji's by 9, but I'll see you sometime tomorrow ok?" He stood up and gave her a pat on the shoulder, "Make sure you email that girl back, I'm not letting you get out of this one. And hey, you might even be a working girl the next time I see you."

"I have a job." Beca muttered defensively.

"I meant one that's not for losers. Night Pocket Rocket!"

"I am never going to forgive you, "Beca hissed, "It doesn't even make sense."

Jesse simply grinned and left, leaving Beca to slump down in her seat, reluctantly moving her mouse over to 'reply.'


	3. Chapter 3

"For God's sake Chloe, now is not the time!" Aubrey snapped and rattled the keys in her hand threateningly. "I wanted to be out the door 10 minutes ago, these bouncers aren't going to interview themselves."

"Ok, ok I'm coming." Chloe muttered, trying to stall for time as the computer booted up.

"It's only been two days, I'm sure the poor girl you're harassing doesn't sit on her emails all day refreshing them like you do. She's going to email you back eventually; you've offered her a job! She won't ignore that."

"Maybe she thought my email was too weird." Chloe worried.

"Then heaven knows what she's going to think of you when she meets you. Now, please can we go? It's the 21st century, I hope you're aware you can check your emails while I drive."

"Oh, good point." Chloe relented and reluctantly switched off the computer, already activating her phone's internet with her free hand as she followed Aubrey out the door.

"Where are we holding the interviews anyway?" She asked as she got into the passenger side of Aubrey's car. Despite them each having a car they usually took Aubrey's, partly because it was a convertible (her 21st birthday present from her parents) and therefore great for hot days, and partly because Aubrey liked driving because it "forces you to concentrate for a period of time, therefore stimulating the mind." According to Aubrey anyway.

"My Dad is letting us use one of his office buildings." Aubrey answered, "By the time we're ready to interview the DJs we should have the club ready to use."

"Right." Chloe nodded vaguely, biting her lip subconsciously as her emails loaded infuriatingly slowly with the lack of wi-fi. She held it in the air in an effort to get more reception and considered hanging it out the window but looked back to find a large truck approaching and quickly changed her mind. "This stupid thing doesn't work- Oh my Gosh!"

Chloe's loud squeal caused Aubrey to swerve dangerously close to the lane with the truck and she swore loudly. "Chloe! What is going on? You're lucky I spend time practicing concentration for moments like this!"

"Sorry!" Chloe giggled at Aubrey's ferocious expression, "But the girl emailed us back!"

"Emailed _you_ back." Aubrey corrected. "And I don't care in the slightest."

Chloe didn't even bother to reply as the message from the mysterious girl opened up. She squeaked again but received a death glare from Aubrey that clearly said shut up and read the message, so she did.

_"Hi Chloe Beale, _

_I know that Pocketrocket name is funny, I hate it. Jesse who is my kind of manager made it for me but I want to change it, I just can't think of anything else. _

_Thank you for your email and the opportunity, I would definitely love to come to an interview. Although, will Aubrey be there? She sounds kind of messed up. _

_Please don't show her this email now that I've said that. _

_Yes, my tattoo is a grasshopper. Does that have any relevance to the job? You ask a lot of questions, did you know that?_

_I got it when I was 16, and it didn't hurt. Obviously I'm just a lot tougher than you. About being bug tattoo buddies, I'm not sure I'm ready for that kind of commitment, can you outline exactly what that would involve?_

_And I seriously wasn't going for that effect with the eyeliner, I just like it. _

_By the way, I can't ring you because you didn't give me your number. _

_Thanks for saying you like my ear spike, you're the first person I've met that has. _

_Ps. If you're on drugs, you should really stop. I quit, and so can you. _

"We're here." Aubrey announced as she pulled up the car outside 'Posen Enterprises.' "What does the alt girl have to say for herself?"

"Don't call her that." Chloe frowned at the blonde. "She didn't say much, just that she'd love to come to an interview. And she answered my questions about her tattoo."

"Does that have any relevance to the job?" Aubrey frowned as the girls walked inside.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Chloe huffed. "I was just asking because I was interested."

"Well you better tone done your interest quick smart, we might not even be hiring this girl yet. If it was up to me she wouldn't even be getting an interview."

"If it was up to you we'd have hired David Guetta and be living out on the street right now so we could afford to pay for him." Chloe clutched her clipboard tighter to her chest and hurried to catch up to Aubrey who had started to stride away.

"At least David Guetta doesn't wear those ear monstrosities." Aubrey hissed as Chloe caught up, before flashing her most professional smile at the woman behind the counter and announcing they were there to use room 34.

"Name?" The woman asked, flicking her eyes up at the two girls briefly and sliding her finger down a list in front of her.

"Aubrey Posen." Aubrey stated proudly, giving her hair a little shake.

"Oh really?" The woman looked up in surprise and looked at the two properly for the first time. "Ok, your room is just down the corridor, third door the left. Do you need me to send the interviewees in?"

"No it's fine thank you, that's what Chloe's here for." Aubrey accepted the key from the woman with a radiant smile and strode off down the hall.

"What's the big rush?" Chloe grumbled, already sick of having her toes crushed by her heels.

"This is nothing short of embarrassing." Aubrey zoomed towards their room at a blistering pace, her professional manner dropping as soon as they stepped into the corridor. "Did you not see the girls sitting in that room back there? It's expected that the interviews arrive well before the people being interviewed! I can't believe they got here before us, and now we have to rush. That annoying alt girl is messing me up already. Besides, doesn't she have a name?"

"I'm sure she does, but I don't know it." Chloe replied as Aubrey pushed open the door to their interview room.

"Oh good lord it's not even set up," Aubrey's breathing started to speed up as she anxiously surveyed the room "the interviews start at 11 and it's already 20 to."

"Don't panic Bree, everything's going to be fine." Chloe placed a reassuring hand on her friend's arm, "How about you set up and I'll go and check who's here?"

"Yes, good idea." Aubrey agreed exhaling slowly and Chloe smiled and quickly slipped out into the corridor. She pulled out her phone as she leant back against the wall and typed a quick message.

_Hey, it's me again. I don't have time to email you, so what's your number? _

She typed out her own number and then paused for a second. There was really no reason this girl needed her number or she need hers, they'd already confirmed an interview and could contact each other over email. Though for some reason she still couldn't stop herself from wanting to learn more about the girl that gave absolutely nothing away in her email, so she sent brushed her uncharacteristic doubt aside and sent the email before returning back to the waiting room.

Nervously waiting in the room were all three girls, each apparently with their own ways of dealing with their nerves. An Asian girl with a fringe almost covering her eyes was sitting in the far corner of the room, mumbling something to herself as she studied each person that walked by. A woman Chloe thought looked slightly gangsterish was on her phone and, judging by the reflection from the window, looking at pictures of semi-naked women. The third woman, who was large and blonde, had her foot up on the windowsill and was trying her best to touch her toes.

"Boy, it sure is hot in here." The blonde exclaimed suddenly, turning around to shoot the woman behind the counter a look, "Not naming any names, but sheesh some people are trying to warm up, there's gonna be some serious business going down and now isn't the time to pull a muscle. I can see some other people that should be following my lead actually." She looked expectantly at the gangster girl next to her who frowned and covered her phone.

"Um, Amy?" Chloe called out, struggling not to giggle as the girl jumped back from the windowsill and yelped, grabbing at her hamstring.

"Yes sir! Fat Amy reporting for business! Just, ah, pulled a hammy I think, but wow am I ready to go. Been waiting for this moment since I was born, and here it is. Ok, no pressure. Whole of Australia counting on me, keep it together Amy."

With that the woman tried to stride confidently towards Chloe but yelped and grabbed her hamstring as it twinged, so instead adopted a kind of sideways hop to reach the redhead.

"Oh actually I was just going to tell you what time your interview was." Chloe tried to stop Amy, but it was too late, she was already hopping down the corridor, yelling out "The last time I was this hot I was stranded in the Australian desert with only a kangaroo for company!" at the unfortunate woman at the desk as she passed her.

"You ladies will be soon." Chloe promised the remaining two girls before hurrying after Fat Amy.

In her pocket her phone buzzed with a message just as she shut the door after Amy. She stole a glance at her phone quickly and smiled at the message shown on the screen from an unknown number.

"_If I give you my number, how do I know you're not going to stalk and kill me?"_

She slid her phone back into her pocket and grimaced at the look of shock on Aubrey's face from having her interviews start 10 minutes early.

"Aubrey, this is Amy, she's ready for her interview." Chloe explained, mouthing "sorry" to her friend from behind Amy.

"Amy, hi!" Aubrey quickly recovered and stood up from behind the table she had set up smiling, holding her hand out for Amy to shake. "I'm Aubrey, the owned of Bellas."

"Wassup Albury." Amy replied, slapping a high-five with Aubrey's outstretched hand. "I've never met anyone named after an Australia town before, you must feel special."

"Excuse me?"

"Ya know, Albury-Wodonga? Nice place in New South Wales. Got a great pizza shop on the corner of the main road. Me and my family went on holiday there once when we were a bit sick of Tasmania, there's only so much you can do in Tassie right?"

"Right." Aubrey nodded, doing her best to keep her smile, "I'll be sure to visit there one day."

"I've gotta say," Amy continued, "I expected there to be a few people for me to bash up or something, I've been working on my round house kick all week. I can still demonstrate for you if you want, obviously you didn't come prepared."

"Oh no that's ok." Aubrey quickly interrupted the girl who was hitching up her skirt in preparation for the kick. "We're just going to ask you a couple of questions, maybe you could show us that sometime later, um, outside."

"Good thinking." Amy agreed and took a seat across from Aubrey while Chloe slid into her own seat on the other side, "I was trying out a few in the waiting area and accidently kicked a pot plant into the TV. Luckily they were only showing some fitness show anyway."

"So Amy." Chloe cut in, covering for her friend who looked about ready to pull her hair out, "What is it that made you want to be a bouncer?"

"Oh well you know," The woman patted her stomach affectionately, "I'm already pretty bouncy."

* * *

"We're doomed." Aubrey proclaimed as she collapsed onto the couch that night with the takeaway they'd picked up on the way.

"I don't think so," Chloe smiled and settled herself next to her, "We've officially accepted 3 bouncers and contacted the waitresses so we're almost there! I think it's going to be awesome."

"We better get our shit together before opening night." The blonde sighed.

Chloe turned her attention back to her phone, sliding her apps back and forth with her thumb as she waited for a text to come through. Between interviews she'd managed to text the mystery girl -

"_If killed you, who would be my bug tattoo buddy? Also, are you always this sarcastic?"_

Maybe she was being too forward, Chloe worried as her phone screen darkened to power saving mode and she automatically switched it back on. She'd probably scared the girl off already and she wouldn't come to the interviews and then Aubrey would be all smug and-

Chloe's phone vibrated and she eagerly opened the message.

_"I'm pretty sure we never agreed on the terms and conditions of this bug tattoo buddy thing. And sarcasm is my middle name."_

Chloe grinned and quickly tapped out a response,

_"There are no terms and conditions, it just means you're now as awesome as me! :) If sarcasm's your middle name then what's your first?"_

_"Well then I'm honoured. And wouldn't you like to know" _Came the response only a few seconds later.

"_Yes I would!"_

"_It's Beca" _

"_Beca what? :)"_

"_Now you're really getting stalkerish"_

"_Becaaaaaaa, I told you mine"_

_You did not, I never asked for yours"_

"_Oh yeah"_

There was a pause for a few minutes and Chloe chewed on her bottom lip, wondering if there was going to be a reply.

_"Beca Mitchell."_

Chloe smiled and repeated the name out loud, testing the words on her tongue.

"Beca Mitchell."

"Huh?" Came the tired response from next to her where Aubrey was drifting off to sleep.

"Oh don't worry Bree, it was just something on the TV. Shouldn't you get some sleep?"

"I will soon." The blonde muttered softly, her eyes already closed again.

_"Do you really do drugs Beca Mitchell?"_

_"...I may have made that up to sound impressive"_

"_Oh. Did your tattoo really not hurt?"_

"_I possibly also exaggerated that one, anymore questions?"_

"_Yes just one, is jesse your boyfriend?"_

"_he wishes. I need to get some shut-eye, night chloe beale"_

"_Goodnight Beca Mitchell :)"_


	4. Chapter 4

A few days after she received her first text from Chloe, Beca was lying on the couch and staring intensely at the clock, trying to slow down the larger hand so she wouldn't have to go to work. She was just wondering how guilty she would feel if she called in sick (probably not very) when her old nokia vibrated loudly on the table next to her and she jumped. Quickly picking it up, she jabbed at the keys tying to unlock it and sighed when the screen froze halfway between her background and her messages folder. The problem with buying so much software and equipment for her DJ work was that it left very little money for any other technology. Besides, there really wasn't a reason she needed a new phone anyway when the only people who ever contacted her were Jesse, her Dad or work. Well, until now.

_[From: Beale, Chloe_] The phone finally showed and Beca's face lit up as she immediately pressed 'open' and sat up.

_"Can I text you?"_ The woman had sent and Beca laughed, a little confused. Before typing her reply she looked back at the clock she'd been watching previously and waited for the smallest hand to complete a full circle, not wanting to appear too eager. Not that she was anyway she reminded herself. She was just enjoying having someone to talk to, it was something different.

_"Judging from the last 30 messages on my phone it would seem that you already have." _Beca sent back, smirking slightly

_"No I mean like, is it weird?"_

_"Since when do you care if other people consider something you do weird? Anyway, thousands of people around the world are texting right now, I'm pretty sure it's a perfectly normal form of human communication"_

_"Ha ha. But really, Aubrey says it's strange"_

_"I feel like I'm going to have some problems with this Aubrey girl when I meet her"_

_"You better not, she's going to be your boss! She's alright really; her parents just forgot to take her out of the shrink-wrap"_

_"I don't know what that means...and I don't even know if I'm going to get the job"_

_"Oh you'll get the job. I listened to the original stuff you put up on that website – the tracks are amazing! I've already put all of them on my ipod. I'm going to play them to Aubrey when she gets home."_

Beca groaned, blushing madly. She was feeling kind of flattered really, but there was no way she was going to say that. She was trying to think of a reply when her phone started ringing and she groaned again when she saw who it was. Deciding it wouldn't hurt to ignore it the first time she let it ring out and quickly replied to Chloe.

_"Sorry I have to go, my dad's calling!"_

She punched her Dad's number into her phone and sighed when he picked up on the first ring.

"Hello? Beca?"

"Hi Dad." Beca's tone changed automatically to the monotone one she saved for her father. It wasn't that she didn't like him, she loved him, of course she did. It was just that things would never be the same after the divorce. He didn't understand why she rebelled as she did when she was a teenager, he didn't understand why she shut herself out from everything, and he definitely didn't understand the tattoos. Needless to say, he didn't understand her dream of becoming a DJ either.

"There you are! I thought you must have been out." He chuckled, apparently amused by his little joke. Of course Beca wouldn't be out, she never was.

"No I just couldn't get to the phone."

"I see. So, how are you? What are you doing with yourself? How are all your friends?" He chuckled again and Beca rolled her eyes.

"Very funny, Jesse is fine. He says he's on the verge of his big break but I doubt it. I'm fine, same old."

"Still working at that supermarket?"

"Sure am."

"Really Beca? Don't you ever feel like getting out there, seeing the world? You spend all of your time holed up in the tiny apartment."

"I_ like_ being holed up here Dad, it's where I make my music. And by the way, I have been getting myself out there, I've got a job interview coming up soon."

"An interview? Why didn't you say before?"

"It's for a DJing job at a new club opening up. I really think I have a good chance Dad."

There was silence from the phone and Beca waited nervously. Surely he was going to be proud of her.

"Beca you know Djing isn't a profession, it's a hobby." Her Dad said finally, "You're never going to have a steady income with something -"

Beca frowned and angrily kicked away one of Jesse's DVDs that was near her foot.

"Actually you know what Dad I can't talk right now, the um, kitchen is on fire. So I gotta go."

She hovered her finger over the red button, waiting for an apology.

"Beca don't be like that." She heard her Dad's voice plead faintly and pressed the red button roughly, chucking it down on the couch. She flopped down next to it and swore loudly as it immediately buzzed again.

"Leave me alone." She grumbled and reached to press the red button but found it had already stopped vibrating.

"What the-" Beca muttered as she picked it up and felt all the anger drain out of her as she realised it wasn't a call but a text, and from the one person Beca didn't seem to mind continually invading her life.

_"Are you done? Aubrey says I should ring you to organise the interview for tomorrow at 12."_

"Oh shit." Beca started to panic and jumped up, texting back frantically. Talking on the phone really wasn't her strong point, she had always found that sarcasm didn't really work over the phone when the other person couldn't see her expressions, and without her sarcasm she was lost. Besides, she really wasn't a people person anyway and for some reason the thought of speaking to Chloe in particular made it all the more terrifying.

_"Is that really necessary?"_ She desperately sent back and then groaned as she read it, thinking it sounded a bit rude. _"It's just I'm not the best at talking on the phone I mean tomorrow is fine I don't think there needs to be any ringing done."_ Beca quickly sent off right at the same time as her phone started blaring her ringtone of Titanium.

"Crap, crap, crap." She muttered to herself and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to make the phone stop ringing. Unfortunately it didn't stop and she sighed and carefully pressed the answer button.

"Hello?" Beca's voice came out unnaturally high for her and she started coughing in an effort to return it to normal.

"Hi! Beca? It's Chloe." The voice that came through the phone sounded exactly like Beca imagined it would; bubbly, sweet and completely at ease.

"Oh yes, good thank you, I mean no wait um, yes I know it's you. I'm me."

A soft giggle came from the phone and Beca felt her knees go weak and decided right then that Chloe's was the best laugh she'd ever heard.

"You sounded a lot more confident in your texts." The voice teased.

"Well your voice didn't sound this pretty when I was texting you." Beca replied and immediately cursed herself. Where the hell did that come from?

"Aww, you're sweet."

Beca's face twisted into some strange contortion as way too many emotions tried to show themselves at once.

"Oh my God, what is happening to me." She found herself whispering, dragging her hands through her hair while spinning in a circle in the middle of the room.

"What did you say?"

"Oh no I wasn't - Oh shit." Beca stopped spinning and made a desperate grab for her phone that had slipped from her grasp and clattered to the floor. In her haste to pick it up she knocked it further and it flew under one of Jesse's large speakers he had set up next to the flat screen TV.

"The world is against me." She muttered as she dropped to her stomach and upturned the speaker in her frustration, luckily finding her phone unharmed.

"Beca, are you there?" Chloe was saying as she put the nokia to her ear again.

"Sorry, yes I'm here I just, ah, dropped my phone."

There was that laugh again, and this time Beca really did have to sit down, closing her eyes at the same time and pushing the heel of her palm into her forehead, trying to force herself to concentrate.

"Why exactly did you call again?"

"To organise the interview! Are you sure you're ok? You sound kind of funny."

"No, no I'm good it's just um..." She desperately glanced around the silent and unmoving room for inspiration, "There's a lot going on."

"Oh I totally get that, Aubrey's here trying to cook us lunch and it's a disaster." The woman dropped her voice to an amused whisper, "She's never cooked chicken before, can you believe that? I'm trying to teach her, it's hilarious."

Beca could quite easily believe that actually since she'd never cooked chicken either, her meals were either microwaved or cooked by Jesse.

"Wow." Beca found herself laughing.

"Beca?" Chloe sounded like she was smiling.

"Yeah?"

"You don't cook do you?"

"How did you know that?"

"Oh I just had a feeling." Chloe laughed. "Don't tell me I'm going to have to teach you as well."

"Well um maybe, if you wanted to, I wouldn't mind." Beca stuttered.

"I'll look forward to it then! So we were thinking of having the interviews tomorrow, could you make it?"

"Oh sure I could make that, I'm not doing anything." Beca answered straight away. "I mean... just tomorrow...I do do things sometimes, I'm not a complete loser."

"That's debatable" The loud voice of Jesse interrupted as he walked in the front door and dropped his keys on the table, "You're not talking to the TV again are you Bec? I told you only crazy people do that."

He looked up and saw Beca glaring at him, waving her hands her hands wildly and pointing towards her phone.

"Oh." Jesse's eyes widened as he realised what was going on and he raised his voice, grinning "Oh! So you finally got the guts to ring your lady love huh?"

Beca threw her hands up in frustration and flipped off the grinning boy.

"Who's that?" Chloe's voice drifted out of the phone.

"Oh that's um, just Jesse, he's no one really. He was just leaving actually."

'Leave!' Beca mouthed frantically, gesturing towards the door with her free arm.

"But I just got home." Jesse complained.

"Maybe now isn't a good time." Interrupted Chloe just as Beca was sliding her hand back and forth across her throat, indicating to Jesse that she was going to kill him straight after the phone call.

"No seriously it's fine." Beca reassured her, "Now is a great time, couldn't be better."

"Don't you have work?" Jesse pointed out. "I thought you started at 3? It's quarter past."

"No I do not have work." Beca hissed back, "I'm sick!"

"You're sick?" Chloe asked, concerned.

Beca collapsed backwards onto the couch in defeat. "It's no big deal, just a 24 hour flu I think."

"That's no good, I hope you feel better soon!" Chloe sounded concerned. "I would suggest having some chicken soup, that always helped me, but you can't cook chicken can you? It's not really cooking it though; it just cooks in the water. I can send you the recipe if you'd like."

"Thanks, but I'm sure I'll be fine." Beca replied with a twinge of guilt while glaring at Jesse who was doubled over with laughter. "Tomorrow for the interview sounds great, I'll see you then ok?"

"Right!" Chloe's voice instantly perked up, "I'll see you then Beca Mitchell!"


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning Chloe woke up with her head pounding and her muscles feeling as though she'd ran a marathon the day before.

"Aubrey!" Chloe called, coughing and spluttering as she did so.

Her friend's head popped through the door immediately, looking concerned.

"I think I'm sick." The redhead murmured pathetically, her sheets pulled all the way up to her chin.

"Oh Chlo," Aubrey cooed, looking as though she wanted to move closer but not wanting to risk catching anything, "You don't think it's from the chicken I cooked yesterday do you? I really thought it was cooked all the way through."

"No it's not that, I'm not that bad." Chloe assured her, "I think I've got the flu."

Suddenly her eyes bludged and she sat up. "Oh my God! Beca had the flu yesterday as well! I must have caught it from her!"

Aubrey let out an exasperated sigh. "You caught the flu from someone you haven't met?"

Hysterical giggling was the only response she received and so quickly she retreated from the room, calling over her shoulder, "I think it's already affecting your sanity, I'm going to find the thermometer! Shall I make you a tea?"

"Yes please." Chloe called back gratefully as she calmed down, "And can you bring me my laptop and phone?"

A few minutes later Aubrey bustled back in with her arms laden full of everything Chloe had requested.

"Right, open up." She ordered, sitting herself next to Chloe who opened her mouth obediently. Aubrey popped the thermometer in and dropped the laptop and mobile onto the girl's legs.

"Anything else you need hun?"

"Uh uh." Chloe shook her head as Aubrey placed the warm tea on Chloe's bedside table. A beeping noise sounded from the thermometer and she pulled it out and to find that sure enough her temperature was way above what it should be.

"Right, bed for you today." Aubrey announced, giving Chloe a little pat on the leg as she stood up.

Chloe nodded feebly and snuggled back down into her blankets. A day in bed would probably do her a world of good, not just because of her flu. Ever since they'd started work on their new club there'd barely been any time to relax and she couldn't even remember the last time she'd sat down to just chill and read a book or watch a movie. Maybe partly because she seemed to spend every waking moment talking to-

"AUBREY!" Chloe shrieked, causing the blonde to jump in fright and clutch at her heart.

"How many times do I have to say not to shout?"

"The interviews are today!" Chloe ignored Aubrey and blurted out so quickly the words were almost unintelligible. The last little bit of energy she had drained out of her as a huge surge of disappointment hit her. She had so been looking forward to being able to meet the quirky little alt girl she'd come to learn so much about. Now she wouldn't be able to watch Aubrey and Beca glare at each other the entire interview, or help convince Aubrey that Beca was the right person for the job.

Aubrey's face fell as Chloe's words sunk in.

"You mean I have to deal with everything by myself!?" Aubrey looked positively devastated.

The usual stress warning signs Chloe had learned to pick up on started to show as Aubrey's breathing increased, her forehead crinkled and her hair seemed to become instantly frazzled.

"I'm sure you'll be fine Bree." Chloe soothed quickly, "You've got it all figured out, all you have to do is ask them a couple of questions and listen to their mixes. Just...exert your authority, you're good at that."

"Ok," Aubrey nodded rapidly, "Ok I can do that."

"Ok." Chloe smiled reassuringly, "Look I've got something to show you before you go."

Aubrey moved closer curiously as Chloe booted up her laptop and opened the page she'd saved earlier. She'd been checking Beca's DJ profile again (she found herself pulling up the girl's picture whenever she spoke to her) and noticed the she'd uploaded a few of her own songs. Two were remixes of current songs, one was a mash up and there was an original song with herself singing. Chloe liked that one best.

"These are Beca's songs." Chloe explained quickly and clicked on the mash up before Aubrey could lose interest when she realised what Chloe was showing her.

"Why-" Aubrey started to interrupt but Chloe shut her up with her very best puppy eyes look.

By the time the song was half through it was obvious Aubrey was sold. She was still trying her best to look disinterested but the mash up melded the two songs together so effortlessly it was amazing, creating a sound even more awesome than the stand alone songs.

"It's alright." Aubrey admitted tentatively when the song had finished, but before she could move Chloe quickly opened up Beca's original song 'Seeing You.'

A heavy bass started and remained steady over the other instruments as Beca's voice started to sing.

"This is her?" Aubrey checked, and her eyebrows rose in apparent approval when Chloe nodded.

"Ok it's good." She relented as the song faded out and Chloe beamed at her, "But I haven't heard the others yet and they could very well be better. Speaking of which, I need to get ready to go, do you need anything else?"

"No I'm fine thanks." Chloe smiled and Aubrey nodded and bustled out of the room.

From the screen Beca's eyes still stared awkwardly out at her, silently begging her to succumb to the temptation of hearing the girl's voice again. Feeling only slightly guiltily, as Beca was probably busy getting ready, Chloe picked up her phone and pressed on Beca's picture that she'd blue toothed from her laptop to her mobile yesterday.

"Hey you, ready for your big day?" Chloe smiled when Beca answered after only a few rings.

"Oh hi Chloe," Beca sounded distracted and slightly disgruntled, "I would be, but Jesse keeps ordering me around. He's already made me take my ear spike out and now he's trying to get me into this suit thing."

"A suit? Someone's making an effort."

"Not my decision." Beca huffed and sounded suddenly vulnerable. "I'm just worried that I've bitten off more than I can chew. I've never done anything like this before."

"Beca you'll be fine! Just be yourself and Aubrey will love you."

"People don't like me though, that's the whole point! I'm not exactly a likeable person."

"Jesse likes you." Chloe pointed out.

"That doesn't count, he likes everyone."

"Wait, he is your boyfriend right?"

Beca laughed and a tiny bubble of hope filled Chloe's chest.

"No way, I don't even swing that way. Oh my God I don't know why I told you that um I think my stress is eating my brain-"

But Chloe wasn't listening anymore as her brain tried to process the new information she'd just been given. Jesse wasn't her boyfriend as Chloe had just assumed since they lived together. He wasn't her boyfriend and he never would be because she wasn't even into guys.

"Get off the phone loser! We're meant to be leaving in 20!" Jesse yelled from somewhere in the background. "And tell your girlfriend to get ready herself!"

For once Chloe was glad Beca couldn't see her as her face lit up to match the colour of her hair. From the phone she heard a loud crash and what sounded like pained swearwords coming from Jesse.

"Um, Beca? Jesse's right, I should let you get ready. I just called to say good luck in the first place."

"Chloe _you're_ interviewing me!"

"Well I was..." Chloe drew out the last word.

"But?"

"But I woke up sick with the flu. I think I caught it from you."

"You caught the flu from me through the phone?" Beca sounded amused.

"Maybe..." Chloe drew out the word again, teasing the other girl now.

"Well in that case I'm very sorry. I would offer you chicken soup but as you've already kindly pointed out, I can't cook."  
Chloe laughed and Beca continued as a thought struck her, "Wait, if you're not going to be there that means I'll be being interrogated by your scary ass friend!"

"I told you already it's your fault."

Beca huffed loudly. "You're going to pay for this Beale."

Suddenly there was another shout from the background and Beca must have covered the phone to yell back because Chloe couldn't quite make out what she was saying.  
"Ok Jesse's getting worried we're going to be 59 minutes early instead of an hour, I better go."

"Ok." Chloe chirped, noticing for the first time that she'd somehow managed to twist her sheets all the way around her free arm, "Good luck, you'll be fine!"

"Thanks." Beca replied nervously and cut off the call.

Chloe smiled as she stretched and set the phone down, happy that Beca was already becoming more relaxed with her. She pulled open her laptop and chose a chick flick to watch, content to relax for the rest of the day until Aubrey returned.

Hours later Chloe hovered her hand over her phone, trying to decide whether or not to text Beca about the interview. She desperately wanted to find out if Aubrey had swallowed her pride and chosen Beca to be the DJ, but swallowing her pride was not something that came to Aubrey naturally. If Beca had been rejected then they would be in for an awkward conversation.

Luckily right at that moment she heard the door of the apartment open and seconds later Aubrey walked into her room, looking as though she could fall asleep on the spot.

"That was an ordeal." Her friend sighed dramatically and flopped down on the bed next to Chloe, "No one had any manners at all! None of their original songs were any good either; they'd all just stuck a beat in the background of current pop songs. One guy had written his own and done the rapping to it, it was like he'd thought of as many swear words as his puny brain could and then written them all down. It was horrible. And to top it off 2 of them tried to come on to me."

"For serious? What did you do?" Chloe gasped.

"Well I slapped the first one-"

"You slapped him?" Chloe screeched, torn between amused and horrified.

"Of course I slapped him," Aubrey sounded offended, "What would you have done?"

"I don't know," Chloe started to giggle and dissolved into a small coughing fit, "I can just picture it."

"Yes well he left rather quickly after that so I assume he got the message. By the second creep I was already so stressed from all the losers I'd already interviewed so I-well he copped it."

Chloe's jaw dropped. "No. You vomited on him?"

"Well it wasn't completely intentional! His arms were already covered with horrendous tattoos, I probably improved them."

"Remind me to never let you go anywhere by yourself again." Chloe laughed. "So if they were all so bad, who'd you pick in the end?"

"Beca." Aubrey sighed and Chloe slapped the bed next to her in excitement.

"You did!?"

"Yes I did and she was rude and her piercings looked even worse up close and not to mention she was pretty much _sneering_ at me the whole time, but..."

"But?" Chloe prompted, grinning excitedly.

"I had to admit those songs you played me this morning were-"

"Amazing?"

"Well quite good yes. Certainly considerably better than anything else I heard today anyway. She's going to have to change her attitude though, and I'm not going to allow her to wear those earrings when she performs."

"But they're part of who she is!" Chloe argued, "We wanted to hire a DJ, not some kind of robot."

"Chloe we have an image we need to create, and everything about that girl is the exact opposite of how we want to appear!"

"But-"

"Ok I'm her boss and I'll be the one to decide what she wears."

Chloe sunk back into the covers and frowned. Keeping Beca and Aubrey civil with one another was going to be some kind of job.

"She asked about you by the way."

"She did?" Chloe perked up.

"Mmm," Aubrey watched Chloe carefully, "She asked how you were. Obviously I said you were fine, just spending the day in the bed. Then she asked if I'd made you chicken soup and started laughing for some reason. Which, by the way, was the only time she smiled the entire time I was talking to her. Anyway, she told me to give you this."

Aubrey picked up a book from next to her that Chloe hadn't noticed earlier and passed it over to the red head.

"Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul." Chloe read and looked back at Aubrey with wide eyes, "As in, to keep?"

The blonde nodded and shrugged. "Something about her getting you sick and not being able to make you chicken soup, so that would have to do. By the way, now that I've met her I don't know how you've managed to have all those conversations with her on the phone. I could barely get a word out of her."

"She remembered that I love animals." Chloe smiled happily as she flipped through the book, finding it filled with short stories written by real people about their pets.

"If that's some subtle hint you still want a puppy I still won't allow it." Aubrey sniffed.

"No really, we were talking about our favourite things and animals came up."

"I see. Well I'm going to ring for takeaway, want anything specific?" Aubrey stood up and headed towards Chloe's door.

"Whatever you want," Chloe replied easily, "What did Beca say when you told her she got the job?"

"I didn't," Aubrey replied flatly, "I told her we'd let her know."

"Aubrey!" Chloe groaned and rolled her eyes, picking up her phone, "I have to text her."

"Of course you do." came the reply from out in the kitchen area, "I'm ordering Chinese!"

_"Guess what Beca Amaze Mitchell, you are now officially the Bella's very own DJ!"_ Chloe sent off excitedly and picked up the book Beca had given her while she waited for a reply, flipping it open again and finding something scrawled inside the front cover.

_Sorry for making you sick, maybe this will make you feel better? - Beca_

There was no way she could be any cuter Chloe thought, right before her mobile started playing Titanium, her ringtone for the past 2 years.

"I swear that stupid bitch made me think I was no chance." Beca's indignant voice complained.


	6. Chapter 6

If the interview was a big day for Beca then today was huge. Enormous even. If fact, if the importance of days could be compared to the size of DVD collections, then today was one to rival Jesse's.

Not only was it the training day for her new job, which meant meeting and interacting with a bunch of new people, but it was also the day she was due to finally meet Chloe. That is if no one caught the flu. Or the imaginary flu.

Beca stood in front of the full length mirror in Jesse's room, the only mirror in the apartment aside from the small one above the sink in the bathroom.

"You're nervous." Jesse teased.

"Am not." Beca replied, standing impatiently with her hands on her hips, trying to get Jesse's opinion on the eighth plaid shirt she'd tried on. "What do you think?"

"I think you've got it BAD."

"The shirt Jesse, please."

"Well drawing on my professional fashion career..." Beca rolled her eyes as Jesse paused for dramatic effect, "I think it looks the same as the last 7 you showed me."

"No but this one has short sleeves." Beca insisted as she turned around so her back was shown in the mirror and craned her neck, trying to look at herself, "I think I'm going to try the grey and purple one again."

"I've heard grey and purple plaid is scientifically proven to attract women."

"You have had you?" Beca humoured him as she pulled on the shirt and adjusted it carefully so her bracelets were visible. "Did you learn that in your professional fashion career?"

"Ah yes, yes I did. Purple specifically attracts ummm, brunettes."

Beca laughed. "I don't even know what colour hair she has anyway."

"Ah hah!" Jesse jumped up, pointing his finger accusingly at Beca, "So you admit you're trying to impress Chloe."

"I do not! You started it anyway."

"And you took the bait! What do you reckon this girl looks like anyway? Confident and flirty, she's got to be a brunette."

"How am I meant to know?" Beca huffed and briefly wondered about changing her jeans.

"But if you to guess." Jesse wheedled.

"Blonde." Beca answered shortly and turned back around to face the boy lounging on the bed. "Definitely blonde. Do you think it looks like I've made too much of an effort?"

Jesse grinned again, "Beca my girl, you have got it so, so bad."

* * *

Jesse pulled up outside a large building with a neat sign reading 'Bellas' in blue cursive font on the top of it.

"Not exactly where I imagined my first big gig as a DJ would be." Beca mused.

"It's all a bit pretty isn't it."

"Everything's just so perfect..."

"And then there's you," Jesse grinned, "Now get out of my car, I've got places to go, people to see."

"Thanks for the support." Beca deadpanned.

"What can I say, I'm always here for you Bec." Jesse winked cheekily, "And what time am I picking you up?"

"The text said 4."

"The text hey?" Jesse raised his eyes suggestively and Beca sighed. "The text from _Chloe_ by any chance?"

Beca's apparent crush on Chloe (which she swore was a figment of his imagination) had become the boy's new favourite topic to tease her about. She'd resorted to desperate measures to avoid his playful banter, including keeping her phone on silent at all times and announcing she was going for a walk every time her phone rang.

Now Beca simply glowered at Jesse as he raised his hand in a salute and kept a straight face as he told her "Go forth and acquire the target," before tearing off back down the street.

"Idiot." Beca muttered as she turned around and took exactly three steps before she ran smack into a large blonde woman. She flung backwards and staggered before falling backwards onto her butt.

"Wha-who's there? Who was that? I'm armed!" The woman she'd collided with yelled from above her as she spun around.

"Down here." Beca groaned and poked gingerly at her lower back, "Are you going to shoot me?"

"Why would I shoot you?" The woman now seemed confused as she spotted Beca on the ground and leaned down to pull her up

"You said you were armed..."

"Oh right, no I was just pointing out that I have arms. It scares people for some reason sometimes, I'm not sure why. Hey, nice headphones! Are you the DJ? I'm Fat Amy, official bouncer of the Bellas, at your service. You must feel privileged; you've already experienced my bouncing talents first hand!"  
Beca gaped at the woman who had paused, trying to figure out how she was meant to reply to any of what Amy (Fat Amy?) had just said.

"You don't say much do you?" Amy continued, her voice laced with a thick Australian accent, "What's you name again?"

"I didn't say-uh, it's Beca."

"Beca...chicka chicka aww..." Fat Amy made some strange sound and moved her hand to imitate a DJ. "I could have been a star DJ you know, back in Tassie I was a real up and comer. I just didn't want to risk it."

"Risk what?" Beca asked, confused.

"Arthritis." Amy nodded seriously, "1 out of 5 DJs are likely to develop wrist arthritis. We had a cat that had it once."

"That sounds serious." Beca raised her eyebrow.

"Oh that's nothing; back in Aus I kept rattlesnakes in my room for 3 weeks. Living on the edge man."

Beca nodded slowly and followed Fat Amy, who had apparently decided their conversation was finished and headed through the doors of the large building.

They walked inside and Beca gave an internal shudder as she spotted the tall blonde form of Aubrey. The blonde, who was surrounded by a group of nervous but excited looking girls, looked equally displeased to see Beca.

"Beca, Amy I'm glad you're here." She called out, sounding anything but. "Come join the rest of us."

The girls Beca didn't recognise quickly sat in the chairs that were set up on the floor, facing a white board that had been set up. Aubrey waited next to the board and watched silently as Beca awkwardly sped-walked to an empty chair.

"Right." Aubrey clapped her hands as she surveyed the group in front of her. "As you know, you have all been chosen to work here at Bellas, starting next week. At the Bellas we will aim for the highest standard in every aspect of what we do..."

Beca started to zone out as Aubrey prattled on about punishment for incorrect uniform and lateness. It was bothering her that Chloe wasn't here, surely she couldn't still be sick? Besides, Chloe had texted this morning saying she would definitely be there. Maybe she was one of the girls sitting around her, but no one had even made any eye contact with her as she walked in. None of the girls looked like Chloe anyway. She wasn't sure exactly what it was she was looking for, but they were definitely not it.

"...Manager Chloe will be with us soon-" Beca suddenly realised Aubrey was saying.

"What?" She jumped up, knocking her chair over in the process.

Aubrey frowned at the interruption and several of the girls looked at Beca strangely.

"Please try and keep up Beca." Aubrey sighed, "I was just saying that since we were all here we should all introduce ourselves, maybe give a few interesting facts -"

"You were saying something about Ch-I mean the manager?" Beca butted in again.

Aubrey narrowed her eyes. "Yes we are all here, except for _Chloe_ who is the manager, and is out the back doing some paperwork. Now that you're actually paying attention maybe you'd like to tell us a little about yourself?"

Now it was Beca's turn to frown as Aubrey sat down with a very satisfied smirk on her face, looking at Beca expectantly. Interesting facts about herself? She couldn't think of any facts about herself, let alone interesting ones.

"Oh ok, right." She started hesitantly. "Well my name's Beca. I'm the DJ here. And uh, I like Djing."

She sat back down quickly and Aubrey rolled her eyes.

"Stacie?"

A tall brunette stood up confidently and smiled widely at them all.

"Hi everyone, my name's Stacie. My hobbies include cuticle care and the e-network."

The girl sat back down again, receiving a smile from Aubrey and Beca glowered. Her introduction had been way more interesting than that. Fat Amy stood up next and gave them all a demonstration of pirate dancing, and eventually all the other girls were introduced.

"Right!" Aubrey stood up and clapped her hands together again. "Now we all know each other, I'll show you around. Follow me through here."

Beca stood up with everyone and followed the boss through to the main dance floor.

"Damn this place looks the goods." A girl called Cynthia-Rose announced with an approving nod as she surveyed the huge room.

"Yeah it's not too bad," Amy agreed, "Reminds me of the club back home in Tassie me and some aboriginals ran. We kept it tight. Think we might have scared the kangaroos though."

"The ones in Vegas are better." Beca heard faintly from beside her and turned around to find Lily staring off into the distance.

Aubrey was ahead and ignored everyone, suddenly coming to a stop and swinging around to face them.

"So there's the stage obviously, and Beca you'll be up there." Beca followed Aubrey's finger to where she was pointing to a little alcove high in the wall above the stage.

"No way." Beca breathed.

"Yes way." Aubrey replied with a smirk, though this time it was almost friendly. "There's stairs to the right of the stage to get you up there, why don't you go set yourself up? I'll send someone up to help you soon."

"Awesome." Beca grinned, unable to contain her excitement despite trying to remain cool in front of Aubrey. She turned and nearly bolted towards the door, shoving it open to find a narrow spiral staircase. She took the stairs two at a time and reached another door at the top, but this one didn't open when she tried the handle. After a moment of panic she remembered the card she'd been given by Aubrey right at the start and tried it in the slot. A light flashed green and she eagerly opened the door.

Beca wasn't one to get excited often, but she couldn't help but gasp when her eyes fell upon the equipment that was all hers to use. The area was tiny, she only had to take a step before she was able to sink into the huge chair provided for her. To her left was a large mac screen, which she discovered all the top DJ softwares already downloaded onto and a folder and usb for all her own music. A few more clicks and she found an enormous list of songs, ranging from everything that was currently on high rotation radio to songs that had been hits over 20 years ago. In front of her was all her equipment, countless dials and switches that would allow her to do whatever she wanted to the music playing. She also had a microphone, presumably for announcing things, a set of headphones marked 'office', and another set attached to the Djing board. She quickly pulled the plug attached to that set and replaced it with her own that were already around her neck. On the computer the screensaver had started so she quickly wiggled the mouse and brought up the list of songs again. She typed quickly and a second later 'Thrift Shop' was booming through the speakers, pumping loudly through the whole building.

"Awesome." Beca breathed in wonder, until her moment of happiness was interrupted by a screaming Aubrey.

"Beca! Volume control please!"

"Sorry!" She called back, despite having no idea where the girl was. Her eyes fell on the microphone next to her and her lips curled as she leant towards it. "Sorry Aubrey." She repeated, putting on a deep voice and smirked as the words echoed throughout the room. She could almost hear Aubrey sigh.

Not wanting to push her luck she decided she should probably actually do something with all of the equipment she had at her disposal. This morning she'd packed a USB with her most recent creations so she plugged it into the computer and double clicked one of her favourites she'd made, a mash up of 500 Miles and Titanium. The song started playing and Beca slipped her headphones over her ears, sliding over to the various dials to work out what each one would do. She was just experimenting with one button that played a high pitched guitar sound whenever she pressed it when there was a yell from behind her and she accidently fell on the board in shock, almost deafening herself with all the sounds that played at once.

"I thought you were meant to be good at this?" The same voice teased from behind her, and a second before Beca remembered where she recognised it from she was wrapped in a tight hug.

"Oh My God, Chloe?" She spluttered, hastily blowing a few strands of flaming red hair out of her face. The arms loosened around her and she spun around to come face to face with a beaming red head.

"Hi!" Chloe grinned happily, "Sorry for scaring you Bug."

It took a couple of seconds for Beca to register what Chloe had called her, since she was too busy being distracted by her eyes. When she and Jesse had been guessing what the woman would look like, they'd never even mentioned her eyes. Eyes weren't usually what Beca remembered about a person, she found the details didn't stick in your head as easily as the colour of their hair or their height. The thing was though, she'd never seen anyone with eyes like Chloe's. You could call them blue and you'd be right, but calling Chloe's eyes blue would be like calling the ocean an area of water, or Mount Everest a rise in the ground. They were blue but they were so much more. They seemed to sparkle, just the way Chloe's voice always had, and with Chloe's red hair (red!?) they stood out so vibrantly it was as though they were staring straight into her soul.

"Did you knock your head or something?" Chloe giggled as Beca stared dumbly at her.

"Uh no, sorry I just didn't expect - I wasn't expecting-" Beca waved her hand vaguely behind her, "I was busy and I didn't expect-"

"Oh I'm so sorry, did I interrupt you when you were caught in your own little world?" Chloe cut her off and saved her from further embarrassment as she tried to form a sentence. She swept past her and plopped down in front of the equipment. "This stuff is pretty cool! How do you do it?"

Beca took a deep breath and tried to gather her composure, not helped by Chloe who had swivelled around in the chair and was waiting for her.

"Well it's not that simple." Beca tried to explain, and brought up the song on the computer she'd been playing before, opening a program she used at home at the same time and loading the song on. "See I just pick songs that go together well and I try to match up down beats and-"

Right at that moment Beca's phone buzzed and the vibration caused it to spin a circle where it was resting on some dials in front of Chloe.

_Update please! Is she smoking hot?_

The messaged flashed on the screen briefly before dimming again and Beca gulped, glancing sideways to see if Chloe had noticed anything. If she had, she was pretending not to notice as she stared intently at the screen Beca had up.

"I don't really get it." Chloe frowned and Beca breathed a sigh of relief. "Can you play me that song?"

"Oh yeah ok." Beca quickly selected the mash up she'd been playing before, letting the song start to play quietly.

"Is this as loud as it goes?" Chloe questioned, standing up and leaning over so that her arm brushed against Beca's.

"No there's the volume here but-" Beca tried to explain but Chloe had already reached over and pumped up the volume.

"This is great!" She grinned and Beca blushed. "You really made this?"

Beca nodded, trying desperately to look anywhere but at the girl right in front of her who seemed to be somehow inching closer.

"Beca!" Aubrey yelled again, and for once Beca was glad to hear the blonde's voice. She leaned over the edge of her little alcove and looked down at the tall girl who was standing with her hands on her hips next to Cythnthia Rose and Amy.

"Yes?"

"Is this your song?"

"Uh, yes."

"Make sure you play it on opening night." Aubrey replied and walked off, heading towards the bar.

"It's rockin' homie!" Cynthia-Rose agreed.

"Sounds like one of my own." Fat Amy added.

Beca smiled bashfully and retreated back from the edge.

"Told you your stuff was amazing." Chloe smiled

"Well uh, hey - I thought Aubrey said she was sending someone up here to help me, how come I got you?" Beca tried to deflect the compliment.

"I may have told a teeny tiny lie and told her I knew how to use it. I had to talk to you and thank you for the chicken soup right?"

"Oh yeah, about that, I have to admit something."

"Hmm?" Chloe leaned in again as though Beca was going to whisper a secret to her.

"I didn't get you sick."

"I know that silly!" Chloe giggled.

"No, no I mean I was never sick. I just said I was so I could keep talking to you on the phone."

"What a coincidence" Chloe breathed, her breath tickling Beca's face, rendering her speechless so she could only gulp and nod in response. Her older woman's mouth twisted into a cheeky grin and she grabbed Beca's forearms. "Well, I better go test out the bar, this ginger needs her jiggle juice!"

The girl released Beca's arms and pulled away, sauntering towards the door.

"But it's only three o'clock." Beca replied in a lame attempt to have Chloe stay.

"And?" Chloe called, without looking back.

"...Make good choices." Beca replied weakly and she could have sworn the red head gave an extra wiggle of her butt as she disappeared down the stairs.


	7. Chapter 7

"Today's the day!" Chloe chirped as she skipped into the kitchen in her pyjamas and slippers. Aubrey was already awake, sitting at the table surrounded by sheets of paper and her laptop, looking as though she hadn't slept a wink last night.

Aubrey gave a tiny groan in response.

"Today feels like a pancake day, what do you think?"

The other girl simply nodded, her cheeks sucked in as she flipped over another sheet of paper.

Chloe set to work, setting up the pan and pulling the ingredients from the cupboard.

"What are you working on anyways?" She asked casually.

"What am I working on?" Aubrey's voice rose dangerously, "Oh nothing important, only trying to organise all these critics that are coming tonight! You know John and Gail are coming?"

"For serious?" Chloe gasped. Everyone knew John and Gail, they ran a blog filled with everything entertainment, from celebrities to artists to movies to clubs. If they didn't like something, neither did anyone else.

"Well like a representative from them anyway." Aubrey waved her hand, "The point is, this thing's getting out of control. All the advertising - it's gone off without a hitch. We're going to be huge."

"Then that's great!" Chloe replied happily.

"But what if something goes wrong?" Aubrey insisted, "What if John and Gail don't like it, or the people find it boring or Beca completely blows her set or Lily murders someone or-"

"Bree relax!" Chloe frowned, "None of that's going to happen. Beca's songs are great; you heard them the other day. And anyway you know we took extra insurance because of Lily. Here, have a pancake."

Aubrey accepted the pancake with a tight lipped smile and stared at it for a moment.

"We better have our shit together before tonight."

"I'm not worried," Chloe smiled warmly, sitting down with her own pancake covered in strawberries, "I think we're going to be awesome!"

* * *

They weren't off to a good start. They officially opened at 9:30, and Aubrey wanted them all there at exactly 5 hours beforehand. It was now 2 minutes past 5 and Beca still wasn't there.

"I told you she wasn't reliable." Aubrey muttered angrily as she strode up and down in front of the other girls. Chloe wrung her hands together nervously, desperately trying to keep her friend sane but so far it was to no avail. "Half an hour late!" The other girl continued, "I _specifically _said lateness was the one thing I couldn't stand. She's doing this to wind me up, I just know it. If that girl isn't here in the next 10 minutes I swear I'll-"

"Beca!" Chloe called in relief as the tiny girl burst through the doors.

Beca returned her smile weakly, dropping her bag onto the floor and collapsing onto the closest chair.

"Where have you been!?" Aubrey shrieked, immediately ceasing her pacing and glaring at Beca.

"Jeez, keep your hair on." Beca muttered, raising her eyebrow and Aubrey's face twisted so much it was as though smoke would start pouring from her ears any second. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. Jesse-my roommate, left this morning for an interview in another state. He took his car, and I can't drive anyway, I had to bus here."

"You can't drive and you're how old?" Aubrey spat.

"What's it to you?" Beca narrowed her eyes, looking offended. "I don't need to, Jesse can take me where ever I need to get."

"Well apparently he couldn't _today._"

"How was I meant to know he wouldn't be able to today?" Beca grumbled, "It's not every day he gets a callback for a movie this big."  
"He's an actor?" Aubrey asked, suddenly interested, and Chloe sighed. Aubrey had a thing with actors and movie stars, every guy she'd ever dated had been working on some kind of movie. Though judging by what she'd heard of Jesse from Beca, Aubrey would be the last person Jesse would be interested in if they ever met.

"He will be if he gets this role." Beca shrugged and Aubrey looked impressed.

"Anyway guys," Chloe cut in, sensing the conversation was getting way off topic. "Why don't we go get in position and have our last run through?"

"Just what I was going to say." Aubrey agreed, "Amy, Cynthia Rose and Lily, you three stay here, I need to show you the walkie talkies."

The rest of the girls stood up and Chloe followed suit, jumping up and chasing after Beca, slipping her arm around the other girl's when she caught up.

"Hey Bug." She smiled, while Beca's eyes flashed briefly down to her arm and then back up to her eyes.

"Why do you call me that?" Beca questioned, "I should be calling you a bug, or maybe a leech." She raised her eyes pointedly at their linked arms and Chloe giggled.

"Because you have a bug tattoo like mine! Obviously."

"Oh right, obviously." Beca's voice was flat but her lips twitched into a small smile.

There was a pause while Chloe wondered how they were going to fit up the stairs if they were attached like this, and also why exactly she was following Beca when Aubrey probably needed a million jobs done, when Beca suddenly spoke without being asked a question for the first time and Chloe nearly fell over with shock.

"So, let's see yours then." The smaller girl said, keeping her eyes trained on her feet.

Chloe smiled and pulled her arm back from Beca's, flipping it over and holding it out so the small ladybug just below her palm showed.

"Cool." Beca nodded.

"I know right!" Chloe grinned happily, "What about yours?"

Beca stopped walking and pulled her sleeve up, allowing Chloe to look at her tattoo. Beca's was much larger than hers, and it was further down her forearm. It definitely wasn't cute like her own, but it seemed to suit Beca.

"Matching." Chloe exclaimed happily as she ran her thumb over Beca's outstretched forearm and the smaller girl watched her closely. "Why'd you get yours?"

"Why'd you get_ yours_?" Beca shot back quickly.

"Because it's so cute! Ladybugs are adorable, and this one's my lucky charm."

"Right." Beca nodded.

"So...?"

"So what?"

"Beca." Chloe whined and the younger girl sighed.

"It doesn't have any meaning, I just got it."  
"Well that's not a very interesting story." Chloe frowned, not believing her for a minute. There was no way someone like Beca simply walked into a tattoo parlour and had a grasshopper inked on her skin _just because_. It was far too easy to tell she wasn't a just because person.

"I'm not a very interesting person." Beca shrugged.

"Of course you are," Chloe dismissed her easily, "I bet you got it when you were 16, and you had a... umm lover, and then there was a break up and you got it too remind you of him. Because uhhh, he was a grasshopper."

Beca snorted. "Her, not him."

"So I'm right!" Chloe clapped gleefully and the smaller girl rolled her eyes with a tiny smile on her face.

"No you're not right idiot. Why do you care so much?"

"I just wanna know." Chloe answered truthfully.

"Fine," Beca shifted her weight onto her other foot and averted her eyes from Chloe's, "When I was 15, my parents got divorced. I went a bit off the rails. I got the tattoos 'cause I knew it would annoy them."

"The 'tattoos'? There's more?"

"A few," Beca shrugged, looking uncomfortable, "Not in places you can see."

"Yet." Chloe muttered before she could stop herself and Beca's mouth dropped open slightly.

"You're an idiot." She finally stuttered out and untangled herself quickly to disappear up the stairs.

By the time Chloe was able to find Aubrey again, the blonde was a mess. She strode back and forth everywhere, clipboard under her arm and barking instructions at everyone she could find. Chloe hurried off to find a coffee for her friend and when she was back she found her in a panic again, this time yelling "Speak up woman!" into her walkie talkie.

"Who's was that?" Chloe asked softly, handing the tall girl her coffee.

"Lily," Aubrey sighed heavily and gulped down some water from her bottle, "She's a nightmare, honestly! I can't hear a word she says. Not to mention Beca won't even answer hers. I swear, if that girl ruins tonight for us..."

"She won't ruin it," Chloe soothed her, "Everything's going to be perfect."

* * *

Hours later, after Amy and Cynthia Rose had pushed the last few people out the door and they had found Lily in a back room, deep in conversation with a couple of shifty looking men, Aubrey had been well and truly proven wrong. The club had been packed to capacity and Beca's songs were an immediate hit with the crowd. Countless people had been congratulating them on their huge success all through the night and even Beca had a real smile on her face when she met them all in the foyer.

"You can play!" Chloe teased her when she spotted her.

"I guess it went alright." Beca relented sheepishly with another rare smile.

"Yes, well done Beca." Aubrey interrupted, "We'll have a meeting tomorrow at 3 to discuss how things went and what to improve on. The reviews should be out by then too so we can read over them."

Chloe nodded along with Aubrey when suddenly a thought hit her and she turned to Beca, "How are you going to get here tomorrow?"

"Bus again." Beca shrugged.

"Then how are you getting home tonight?"

"Ah...bus?" Beca trailed off sheepishly, already knowing it was a bad idea.

"You can't catch a bus at 2:30 in the morning!" Chloe gasped,

"She probably can, they run night services-" Aubrey started to suggest but Chloe shot her a glare and the blonde sighed and threw her hands up in frustration. "Fine, I'll meet you in the car."

"What does she mean?" Beca asked as they watched Aubrey stride away.

"We're taking you home!" Chloe clapped her hands in excitement and tucked her arm through Beca's again.

"Oh no, you don't have to do that." Beca frowned, "I don't want to inconvenience you guys."

"It's not a problem silly."

"Try telling Aubrey that."

"Don't take any notice of her," Chloe answered as they turned the lights off to the club, "It's all part of her tough act, I know she's thrilled at how well tonight went."

"Her tough act huh?" Beca mused,

"Yep, bit like someone else I know." Chloe smiled teasingly again and Beca rolled her eyes as they entered Aubrey's car.

"We'll be talking about this later." Aubrey muttered as Chloe smiled innocently and turned the radio on. "Where do you live Beca?"

"Ah, just-"

"Actually I thought she could stay at ours." Chloe interjected.

"Did you really." Aubrey sighed in defeat, and in the rear-view mirror Chloe saw Beca's mouth twitch into a smile.

As soon as they reached their room Aubrey quickly bade them goodnight and left for her room, shutting the door tightly behind her. The two girls were left in slightly awkward silence as Beca surveyed the room and moved over to pick up 'The Notebook' from the table where Chloe had left it last night.

"This yours?" Beca smirked.

"Yeah, it's cute! Bree and I watch it all the time."

"Now that's sad," Beca shook her head and placed the movie back down, scuffing her feet along the carpet, "hey thanks for letting me stay tonight."

"Anytime." Chloe smiled easily.

"But seriously, you don't even know me. I could secretly be an axe murderer or something."

Chloe raised her eyebrow in amusement at the tiny girl, "I think I'm safe. Follow me, my bedroom's through here."

"Wait what?" Beca called from behind her, "What about the couch? I'm fine with the couch, the couch is good."

"Don't be stupid Bug, the couch is hard and it'll give you a bad back."

"But-"

"No buts," Chloe insisted, "Anyways, sharing a bed is like a guaranteed way to become best friends."

"If you say so." Beca muttered, but followed the red head into the room despite her protests.

Chloe pulled off her shoes quickly and slipped into the bed, not bothering to get changed, while Beca stood awkwardly at the end of the bed.

"It's very...pink." She mused, motioning vaguely at the pink sheets, pillows and walls.

"I know." Chloe smiled happily, "Are you going to stand there all night?"

"I don't have pyjamas." Beca muttered.

"You can borrow mine." Chloe suggested.

"Are they pink?"

"Maybe..." Chloe giggled.

"I think I'll pass." The smaller girl rolled her eyes and pulled her own shoes off. Chloe waited while she slowly slid into her side of the bed, before switching the lamp next to the bed off.

"Tonight was good." She murmured happily.

"Yeah." Beca muttered back, tugging on the sheets as she tried to find a comfortable position. Without a moment of hesitation Chloe shuffled over and draped her arm over the other girl's waist. Under her arm Beca froze.

"What are you doing?"

"Cuddling," Chloe replied softly, "To make you comfy."

"Right." Beca replied gruffly, "Ahh, goodnight then."

"Night night." Chloe breathed.

* * *

Chloe's radio blared the next morning and she blearily reached over and fumbled for the snooze button. As she recalled the success of last night a smile spread across her face - until she suddenly remembered there was someone meant to be in bed next to her. Where the tiny form of Beca had drifted off next to her last night was now an empty space, the slightly ruffled sheets the only evidence Chloe hadn't dreamt the whole thing. Struggling to keep the panic rising from inside her (Had Beca found sharing the bed too awkward? Maybe sharing a bed with your friend wasn't something that came as naturally to her as it did to Chloe), Chloe slipped out of the bed and didn't even bother donning her usual fluffy pink slippers as she hurried out of the room. The rest of the apartment was still dark, with the curtains drawn and the only light coming from a tiny crack under the bathroom door. Aubrey's door was still shut, a sure sign she was fast asleep, and Chloe's whole body relaxed as she realised it was Beca in the shower, and she hadn't tried to leave. Just as she opened her mouth to call out to her, there was a loud outburst of noise from back in her bedroom as her radio crackled back into life and she froze on the spot.

"And here we have it, for the first time ever played on national radio - the hot new hit by DJ BAM, this is her new mash up, fresh to 100.9."

There was barely time for Chloe's jaw to drop before Beca's most recent song - a mashup of Titanium and 500 miles - was blasted from the radio. In shock, she rushed back into the room and yanked the digital radio from her bedside table, almost tripping over her own feet as turned and ran back to the bathroom door. Without a second thought she pushed the door open and burst into the room, brandishing the radio above her head. She immediately spotted Beca, who was under the water with her back to the door.

"Beca!"

The small girl shrieked in shock and spun around in horror, scrambling for something to cover herself up with as she quickly turned the water off.

"What the hell are you doing?" She squealed, her eyes darting around wildly.

"It's your song!" Chloe smiled widely and pulled open the door to the shower so Beca could hear the radio better. "Can you believe it?"

"Can I...Oh my God, seriously?" Beca tried to shrink away as Chloe held the radio closer, "I'm nude."  
Chloe rolled her eyes and ignored the obvious comment. It was kind of cute how worked up the tiny girl was getting, though now she was turning around again in an effort to hide.

"Are you listening?" Chloe prodded.

"Dude no! Get out!"

"I can't believe you used Titanium!" Chloe dropped her voice to a whisper and leaned in closer to Beca, "That song is my jam. My lady jam."

"That's nice." Beca grimaced and Chloe nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

"It is, that song really builds."

"Gross." Beca muttered into the wall.

The song faded out and Chloe smiled proudly at the small girl who had her eyes squeezed tightly shut. Suddenly there was a yell from outside the door, "Chloe? Are you in there? Where's Beca gone?"  
"I'm in the bathroom with Beca!" Chloe yelled back, "Beca's just having her shower."

"She's what?!" Aubrey shrieked, "What are you in there?"

"I was just playing her her song!" She sighed. Beca peeked back at her and Chloe shook her head in disbelief, "She's crazy that girl, honestly. I better go explain it to her in case she assumes I was doing something weird, you know how she is."

With a final grin at Beca, Chloe flicked her hair over her shoulder and skipped out of the bathroom, finding Aubrey standing in the middle of the kitchen wearing a pink dressing gown, blue bunny slippers and a very disgruntled expression.

"You won't believe what I just heard on the radio!" Chloe blurted out, unable to hold in her excitement.

"I already know." Aubrey replied flatly.

"What, how?"

Aubrey raised her hand in response, and Chloe noticed for the first time that she was holding her mobile.

"Bumper just called me."

"Bumper Allen?"

"Do you know anyone else with a name that stupid? He was there last night and wants to offer Beca like a million dollars to play for his club, and he had the nerve to call me_._"

"He's going to offer a million dollars?" Chloe gasped, "Can he afford that?"

"Oh well not literally a million, but big money. He was the one that organised for the song to get radio play already, he wants to win her over."

Chloe gaped as she comprehended what she'd heard. Bumper Allen owned the biggest club in Atlanta, and was known for having the best DJs from all over the world play for him. If he was making this much of an effort with Beca then he obviously though she was the real deal.

"What do we do?" Chloe asked,

"Well we can't tell her, that's for sure-" Aubrey started,

"Tell me what?" A voice interrupted from behind them, and they swung around to find Beca standing in the doorway, with one of Chloe's towels wrapped around her hair and her eyebrow raised accusingly.

"Great." Aubrey groaned.

"What's going on?" Beca frowned and turned to Chloe for an answer.

"Well Bumper Allen just rang, he's someone who was there last night. And uhh, he rang because he wants you to play for his club and he'll offer you a bunch of money to do it."

"He rang you?" Beca asked again, looking at Aubrey now.

"Yes he did." Aubrey sniffed, "Trying to steal my DJ after only the first night, honestly."

"I agree." Beca nodded and Chloe and Aubrey's mouths dropped open in unison.

"You do?" Chloe raised her eyebrow. "Did you hear the 'heaps of money' part?"

"You guys pay me too, and this guy sounds like a douche." The brunette shrugged and sat herself at the kitchen bench, pulling a box of cereal towards her to examine it, "Tell the Bumper dude to find someone else."

Chloe beamed proudly and turned to find Aubrey struggling to stop the very same smile from spreading across her own face.


	8. Chapter 8

Several days later Beca was lounging in her chair, legs up on the desk next to her turntables as she flipped the small box in her hand around. Today was Chloe's birthday and with Beca's sudden influx of cash she'd been able to afford a real present for her. Last night she'd ventured to the shops for the first time in who knows how long and found the perfect gift for the red head; a small silver bracelet with a cute little ladybug charm. Well, Beca actually thought the ladybug was a bit lame but she'd skyped Jesse and he'd assured her it was just right. She'd finished the white box off while a red ribbon and a slightly messy bow and scrawled 'To Chloe' as on the top. It seemed to be fine but if she thought about it any longer she was going to start second-guessing herself, so she placed it under the table and out of sight, in hope of forgetting the slight nerves the box was giving her.

Next to her computer Beca's mobile buzzed and spun itself in a circle, showing a number on the screen she didn't recognise. She answered it and was met with the voice of a man with an English accent.

"Hello?"  
"Hello, are you DJ BAM by any chance?"

"That's me." Beca smirked, leaning back against her chair. Her newfound fame was treating her well and she was loving it. She'd already rejected 4 different clubs who had rung begging for her to spin for them and it seemed like this was about to be number 5.

"Great!" The young man responded enthusiastically, "I'm Luke, owner of Open Season records and we'd love to have you on board."

"Wait," Beca clarified, her heart suddenly beating a million miles a minute, "You want to sign me?"

"That's right. Our studio's here in LA and with the amount of quality material I hear you have, we'd have your first album released in no time."

Beca had to take a deep breath to contain her excitement and keep herself from screaming out a huge 'yes'! There was just one thing holding her back. "So I'd have to move to LA?"

"Well yes, but there's cheap accommodation I could set you up with and with some of your songs I've heard you'd be making thousands of dollars in no time. What do you think?"

What did she think? For years now Beca's dream had been to sign to a record label and release her own music. Now, some man in LA was offering her exactly that and she was hesitating. Hesitating because a certain bubbly red-head had captured her attention in a way she'd never experienced before, and she hated herself for allowing it to get to this after only a few weeks. Throughout high-school and college she hadn't let herself become attached to anyone, and for good reason.

Love destroyed you, she knew that. She'd seen it first hand when her Mum and Dad fell apart and her Mum left, trying to escape from the ruined home. And now, without anything even actually happening, which was what really was bugging her, she already knew what her answer to Luke would be.

Trying to ignore the voice in her head telling her this was the wrong decision, she screwed up all her courage and turned Luke down.

"I just...I don't think I can commit to that right now."

There was silence from the other end of the phone and it was right at that moment that Chloe decided to burst through the door to Beca's little alcove. Her eyes widened when she realised Beca was on the phone and she made an exaggerated surprised face before tiptoeing over to the bench and plopping herself down on Beca's keyboard.

"These kind of offers don't last forever you know." Luke finally replied, sounding disgruntled.

"I know, I know." Beca sighed, running her hand through her hair.

"Look, I'll give you some time to think it over ok? Call me back in a few days if you change your mind."

"Ok thank you, thanks for the call, thank-" A beeping sounded and Beca reluctantly lowered her phone from her ear.

"Who was that?" Chloe asked curiously.

"Some guy from LA offering me a record deal." Beca replied flatly, leaning back heavily on her chair.

"Offering you a what!?" Chloe squealed loudly.

"I didn't take it?"

"You didn't take it!?" She screamed again, even louder this time.

"No." Beca replied in faint amusement at Chloe's hysterics.

"Are you for serious? Beca that was your big break!"

"Stop it, you're making it worse." Beca complained, "I just told him I've got some things I need to figure out here first before I move on."

"A guy rang you." Chloe seemed to be not listening.

"Yes, he did."

"From LA"

"Yes."

"And offered you a record deal."

"Uh huh."

"And you said _no_."

"I did."

"You're crazy." Chloe shook her head in disbelief.

"And yet I'm not the one that did all that screaming just now." Beca shot back with a smirk. "Why are you here, by the way?"

"I just came to say hi." Chloe shrugged nonchalantly, waggling her feet as she sat.

"Well hello then." Beca smiled.

"What?" Chloe frowned in confusion.

"I was saying hello 'cause you said-actually don't worry. I am glad you came to visit me though because..." Beca paused for dramatic effect and whipped Chloe's present out from under the desk with a flourish, "I got you something."

"You didn't!" Chloe exclaimed in glee, "Oh Bug you shouldn't have."

"Well it was in my best interests actually, Aubrey told me if I didn't get you something I'd be fired. Not that that was the reason I got it for you, I was going to anyway I just..." She trailed off, sensing she was ruining the moment. She held the box out to Chloe who eagerly reached for it, but Beca didn't let go.

"Wait, there's one condition."

"Oh?"

"You need to move off my keyboard." Beca grinned, "I don't think the computer can cope for much longer."

Chloe looked behind her in surprise and found the screen covered with a cluster of programs. "Oops!" She chirped sheepishly and slipped off the keyboard and onto the table where Beca handed her the box with a nervous smile. Chloe didn't even notice as she took the box from Beca's hands carefully and slid the ribbon off. She slowly eased the lid off to peek inside and Beca smiled when she gasped at the sight of the ladybug.

"Beca." She breathed quietly, as she hooked the bracelet out with her pinkie. "It's perfect."

"It's nothing special." Beca blushed, "I just thought...cause they're you're lucky charm...I'd get you a ladybug charm."

"I love it." Chloe declared as she slipped it onto her left wrist and fiddled with the clasp. "Now I'll be doubly lucky."

It was all Beca could do to smile meekly as Chloe skipped over to where she was sitting and draped her arms around her neck.

"I've been wanting to ask, where'd the new DJ name come from?"

"Oh right! DJ BAM?"

Chloe nodded in response.

"Don't you remember?" Beca continued, "You gave it to me! Beca Amaze Mitchell, from when you told me I got the job."

"Well then I'm honoured to be part of the start of the industry's newest star." Chloe grinned. "And thanks for my present gorgeous." She leaned down and pressed a quick peck to the smaller girl's cheek before heading back down the stairs and leaving Beca blushing madly and her cheek burning.

* * *

Later that night the club was once again open for business, and just as packed as it had been since opening night. They were travelling particularly well tonight as Aubrey hadn't yet found a reason to yell at her over the walkie talkies, and Fat Amy had so far only accidently arrested one person. The audience was reacting well to Beca's music, and she was spinning a range of original stuff mixed with the songs that were currently hot.

"Beca!" Chloe's familiar voice suddenly called from behind her, and Beca smiled, quickly adding a song to the queue before turning around and smiling at the redhead.

"Hey-oh?" Beca barely had time to rise off her seat before the taller girl had grabbed her hands and pulled her face incredibly to her own.

"I am so glad that I met you." Chloe murmured, somewhat breathlessly. "I think that we're going to be really great friends."

"Yeah well you saw me naked so..." Beca winked and Chloe hummed in agreement, nodding earnestly.

Finally Chloe pulled away slightly and announced that she getting a drink since Aubrey hadn't let her let her hair down because she was meant to be on 'Bumper lookout duty.'

"Make good choices." Beca quipped as the taller girl began to walk away, for some reason slapping her behind as she went. Suddenly upon hearing Beca she spun around and studied Beca with a look so serious she thought she must have done something wrong.

"Uhh I was just joking," Beca frowned slightly, "I meant don't get yourself smashed cause some guys are douches and I don't want anyone taking advantage of you or something,"

"Can you queue songs on this thing?" Chloe asked, completely ignoring Beca and waving her hand at the turntables Beca was using.

"Uh yeah sure, but why?"

"I want to show you something."

Confused but also curious, Beca added a couple of her best songs to the queue and followed the redhead down the stairs. At the bottom Chloe turned and headed straight towards the dance floor, pausing only to link her hand with Beca's so they wouldn't be separated as they pushed through the throng of people.

"Where are we going?" Beca tried again to find out what was happening but Chloe either didn't answer or perhaps just didn't hear her over the pumping music. As she dodged a particular drunk guy trying out some spectacular dance move (which ended with him landing very unspectacularly on his ass) Beca realised she'd never been on the floor of a club when her music was playing. It was certainly different; the music was so loud down here people had to shout to hear themselves, but there was also the devastating combination of smells of b.o, perfume and alcohol. No wonder Chloe was so keen to get a few drinks into her, being here sober was horribly overwhelming for the senses. Finally Chloe stopped pulling her and Beca felt a little twang of disappointment as the girl let go of her hand and swung around to face her.

"Can you believe this?" Chloe shouted to her, positively beaming.

"I know, it reeks!" Beca answered truthfully and Chloe giggled and stepped closer, probably so they could hear each other better.

"I don't mean that! Look around!"

Beca frowned, slightly confused, but did as she was told and surveyed the area around her. They'd ended up right in the middle of the floor and in every direction as far as she could see (from standing on her tippy toes) people were dancing and laughing, looking completely carefree. Right then the songs switched over automatically and Beca's new hit mashup of Just The Way You Are and Just A Dream started blaring. A rousing cheer of approval came from the mass of people and most started drunkenly blasting out the lyrics, adding even more noise to the already deafening room.

"Is this what it's always like?" Beca asked, spinning back around to face Chloe.

"Yep, and you know why?"

"Because everyone's drunk off their face?" Beca suggested.

"No, and you know it. It's because of you Beca. You did this with your music! These people are dancing because of you! Do you remember when I told you to be yourself, and you told me no one liked you?"

Beca nodded, she could vaguely remember that conversation as she was struggling with Jesse for him to let her wear what she wanted.

"All these people love you Beca! They don't care if you have tattoos or piercings, or don't dress like all those other useless slutty DJs do. They just love you because you make awesome music, and you make them happy. See, it's like the song says," At that moment Bruno Mars' part of the song was playing and Chloe smiled at her, never taking her eyes off her face and she sung quietly along with the song. "Girl you're amazing just the way you are."

Beca couldn't help but grin back at Chloe who was still smiling radiantly at her.

"Wow thanks for the cheesy pep talk Chlo but I really should get back, people aren't going to keep dancing when there's no music playing." She stopped suddenly as she realised Chloe's hands had found her own again.

"You're special Beca." The woman whispered and suddenly she was kissing her and Beca stood in shock until she realised what was happening and started kissing her back, because this was Chloe, and this was what she wanted. Chloe wasn't going to hurt her, she didn't want to change anything about her, because she just loved her. And that was it. As soon as the thought entered Beca's mind she pulled back, terrified.

"Beca it's ok." Chloe tried to soothe her, staring at her with concern.

"No It's just..." Beca started to mutter, not even sure what she was saying, "I can't Chloe. I can't I'm sorry I need to go."

"Beca wait, please!" Chloe tried desperately, but Beca had turned and ran, pushing roughly through the crowd in her haste to get back to her box above the floor. Her turntables and her headphones, her music. Music was what she loved, the only thing she could allow herself to love. Because music didn't try to change you, it didn't judge you, couldn't hurt you. And no matter what, no matter how much you loved it, it would never leave you.


	9. Chapter 9

Chloe sat slumped in her chair at the kitchen bench, watching as Aubrey attempted to cook lunch in an effort to cheer her up. Chloe knew for a fact that Beca had made her own way home last night, since Jesse had apparently got lucky and landed the role of the best friend in a big movie coming out early next year. He'd packed up and moved to LA in what was apparently a "temporary" arrangement. The door to Beca's alcove had remained locked for the rest of the night and Aubrey had insisted it was best to leave her to think for a while. 2:30 had finally come around but when Chloe went to check on Beca again, the door was open and her stuff gone.

"Honestly Chloe, pull yourself together. We've got more important things to worry about that than that stupid girl." Aubrey slid a plate of steaming noodles across the counter to the redhead, who sighed. "As long as she's still spinning for us I don't see what the problem is."

"She's not stupid." Chloe muttered as she fiddled with the charm on her wrist and ignored the food. "I really like her."

"You and me both, she's making us rich." Aubrey replied.

"You know that's not what I mean." Chloe grumbled.

"No, but it's what you _should _mean. I'm telling you, there's nothing good that can come of chasing her."

"Like you can talk," Chloe snapped, "How long has it been now since you've dated a guy for longer than a month?"

The blonde bristled in response to the barb and Chloe quickly tried to backtrack. "No look, sorry, I didn't mean that Bree. Last night really shook me up."

"And you think moping around like this is going to fix anything?" Aubrey raised her eyebrow as she took a bite from her own plate.

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean Beca. Have you done anything about her since last night? Texted? Rung?"

"You told me to leave her for a bit." Chloe frowned. Aubrey's sudden mood changes could be so confusing.

"That was last night, she's had time to think since then! If she hasn't done anything until now then the ball's back in your court."

"Since when do you use sport metaphors?" Chloe asked in bemusement.

"I pick these things up." Aubrey brushed the comment aside, "And speaking of which, I've been thinking of adding a weekly zumba class to my schedule on top of my usual pilates session, you should join. I've heard it's good for stress."

Chloe had to swallow her tongue to keep from pointing out that Aubrey was the stress head, not her. The blonde girl's good moods were so rare though, it wasn't worth biting at the small comment and ruining it.

"I'll think about it." Chloe agreed.

"Great." Aubrey smiled widely, "I'll add it to our weekly planner. Now, as for your lady situation, I've got an idea. I think she likes you, so that's not a problem. From what you've told me, it seems like she can't figure out what she's meant to do next, and unless you do something, she's going to keep waiting."

"But I already tried to kiss her." Chloe pointed out.

"Yes, and how well did that work out for you? She likes you, but she's scared. I know the type, she's afraid of commitment and then feels sorry for herself when nothing works out. She needs to realise on her own that you're too good of a catch to let slip by. She doesn't know yet what she's missing out on." Aubrey paused for both breath and effect, "She needs to be smacked in the face with her feelings for you."

"So what do you suggest then?"

"Easy." Aubrey smiled wickedly, "We'll make her jealous."

* * *

Beca was late again, and once again blamed her lack of transport. She didn't burst in the door this time though, and walked over rather awkwardly. Her makeup seemed to stand out even more than usual and she averted her eyes from Chloe's as she slumped into one of the chairs Aubrey had set out for them, over near Amy.

"Woah girl," The large blond exclaimed in response to Beca's dark appearance, "I know it's your style thing, but you really gotta keep that gunk under control! You look like some kind of racoon. Either that or you got head butted straight in the face. Now neither of those options is a good look and I should know, I was a semi-professional make-up artist back in Australia. Had great practice on a couple of the drop-bears I kept in my room. Now I can see here you're going for the natural look, but I just don't think it's working for you."

"Ahem." Aubrey cleared and throat and interrupted Amy from the front of the room, "I appreciate you trying to help out your fellow team members Amy, but maybe you could find a more suitable time. Now, as you all know I've called today's meeting to discuss the limited success we've been having with the walkie talkies. Lily if you could bring me yours please, I think I've found a way to adjust the volume…"

"We could have taken you." Chloe spoke quietly, leaning to her left and studying Beca's slouched form.

"Sorry." Was Beca's only response, her eyes not lifting from the floor.

"I need to speak to you." Chloe tried to beg the smaller girl, but her words were drowned out by the commotion at the front of the room.

"AMY NO! These are expensive pieces of equipment!"

"Stress less Blondie." Amy held the walkie talkie in her hand away from the jumping Aubrey and a confused looking Lily. "I used these all the time when I owned a trucking company in Tassie, we just pull this dial off and… oh fu-."

* * *

At 11:30, the time Aubrey had set, Chloe made her way over to the bar, the designated meeting point. Despite her insistence on punctuality, the blonde wasn't anywhere to be seen, so Chloe moved round to the side of the bar and slumped against the doors.

"Having a long night babe?" Stacey chirped, continuing to serve customers as she spoke.

"Just tired," Chloe replied, somewhat truthfully.

"Oh tell me about it," Stacey nodded, "I haven't had a night off from sex all week. It just gets too much sometimes."

"I'm sure it does." Chloe grimaced, "Got anything strong for me?"

"Try this." Stacey handed her a drink coloured a funny red, "It's been working for me all week, you're in good hands. Oh, here comes Aubrey, quick, look like you're doing something important!"

With that Stacey spun around and promptly resumed pouring drinks, flashing the approaching Aubrey a bright smile over her shoulder. Aubrey strode towards them and pushed through the swinging doors to the bar, grabbing a drink straight from Jessica's hand and drinking half in one gulp.

"I needed that one," She exclaimed a second later, setting her unfinished glass down on the bench, "How are you?"

"Nervous." Chloe wrung her hands, eyeing off her own drink that tasted just as funny as it looked. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

"It's the oldest trick in the book, it'll work." Aubrey replied, waving her hand airily. "Have you picked your target?"

"My target?" Chloe almost giggled, "No I haven't seen anyone."

"Honestly Chloe, you've been looking all night and haven't found anyone? There, look, he's perfect."

Chloe looked to where Aubrey was pointed and saw who she meant. A tallish guy with brown hair, he was wearing a simple shirt with nice jeans. He was good looking too, probably someone she would have gone for a couple of years ago.

"What do you think?" Aubrey prompted impatiently.

"He looks fine, I guess."

"Of course he does, I picked him. Right, step two then. It's currently-" Aubrey checked her phone, "11:40. Think you can do it by 12?"

"Yes but, I just- I just don't know if this is the right thing to do Bree. I don't want to hurt her."

"Don't be stupid, you're not chickening out now are you? Trust me, she'll be all yours after tonight, I've done this hundreds of times."

"And you're single." Chloe muttered under her breath. Suddenly there was a crackle from under Aubrey's jacket and a faint voice could be heard. Aubrey grabbed the walkie talkie out and her it to her ear, furiously turning up the volume dial.

"Honestly!" She exclaimed, "Right, I've got to go, Lily needs me for something. At least I assume she does. I'll be ready at 12, good luck!"

With that, she strode off again, and Chloe was left standing alone with her awful drink.

"This better work." She sighed to herself and quickly gulped the rest down.

* * *

Tom was his name apparently, he was 25, and studying marketing. These were just a few of the facts Chloe had learnt about her 'target' in the last 10 minutes that she'd first spent introducing herself, and then trying to keep his hands off her.

'Only five more minutes,' she thought to herself desperately, as she did a little shimmy to dislodge Tom's hands, which were placed firmly on her sides, and moving upwards.

"I love this song!" He shouted at her, and Chloe had to keep herself from gagging at the smell of his breath.

"Same." Chloe replied, and she really did like this song. It was one of Beca's remixes, a 'Beauty and a Beat' remake. "I know the DJ." She blurted.

"Really?" Tom looked impressed, "She's good."

Chloe nodded and resumed her half-hearted dancing, with Tom pressed close to her. Up in the alcove she could see the top of Beca's head, with her headphones planted firmly planted over her ears, but still no Aubrey. What was she doing? It was 11:58 already, in two minutes she was meant to be up there with Beca. They, or rather Aubrey, had decided that she would point out Chloe at midnight, pretending that the redhead had sent Aubrey with a request for a song.

One minute to go, and still no blond hair.

"I'm going to get another drink." He said suddenly, allowing his hand to trail over Chloe's lower back as he moved.

"Wha-No, wait!" Chloe stuttered; Aubrey had finally appeared in the alcove.

"What?" Tom replied, raising his voice over the music.

"I'm not thirsty." Chloe lied desperately. Aubrey was talking, and the headphones had disappeared from Beca's head.

"But I am-" Tom started, but Chloe had seen Aubrey point from the corner of her eye and closed the gap between Tom and herself, screwed her eyes shut and kissed him, latching onto his jumper. The boy eagerly kissed her back, and Chloe tried unsuccessfully to push the thoughts of what Beca would be thinking right now from her mind. When Tom pulled back after a few moments to announce with a grin that he could probably go without that drink for a while, she glanced up to the alcove and felt a pang in her stomach when she saw both Beca and Aubrey gone. In a second Tom was leaning again, and any chance of finding either of the girls in the next few minutes was lost.

* * *

"Thank God." Chloe breathed out in relief, joining Aubrey in the bar. "That took way too leave, he wanted me to go home with him."

"How'd you get away?" Aubrey asked, and offered her one of the funny red drinks, "Here, have this, you look like you need it."

"No they're gross, I had one before." Chloe shook her head, "He went to the bathroom, so I bolted."

"How was he? He looked hot."

"Horrible," Chloe started to giggle as she remembered, "He kissed like a washing machine."

Aubrey grinned, "How does someone kiss like a washing machine?"

"I don't know," Chloe laughed, "But he did! How'd it go with Beca?"

"All fine, I pointed you out, and you kissed him right then. Perfect timing."  
"Was she suspicious?"  
"No idea, she put on the song that I had said you wanted right away, and then left for the bathroom. I haven't seen her since. I'm sure it worked though, you were really going for it out there."

"She's not back," Chloe realised, ignoring what Aubrey was saying.

"What?" The taller girl frowned, following Chloe's gaze up to the DJ's alcove, where Beca was nowhere to be seen. "She can't be, her music's still playing."

"No," Chloe muttered, trying to stop the panic rising through her, "No she can queue songs."

"What are you talking about?"

"She can put her songs on queue Aubrey! They just keep playing even though she's not there. Listen, she's not mixing anything."  
They were both quiet, and sure enough Chloe was right. There was a remix playing at that moment, but without any of the usual effects Beca added while she was working.

"I'm sure she's fine," Aubrey soothed the redhead, though she was frowning herself. "Wait, I'll ask the others."

Chloe watched as Aubrey pulled out her walkie talkie, though she knew already the blonde wasn't going to get the answer they wanted. Fat Amy's voice crackled out of the speaker in response to Aubrey's question.

"Beca? Yeah she left out the back, said she'd only be a minute."

"Did she say what she was doing?" Aubrey asked.

"Yeah, said she was grabbing something from her car."

Aubrey breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Chloe with a smile.

"See, what did I tell you? And you doubted me."

The taller girl's bright smile faltered at the look on Chloe's face.

"She doesn't have a car Bree."


End file.
